Using an in silico liver to evaluate a hepatic enzyme induction mechanism

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2008:2008:2415-8. doi: 10.1109/IEMBS.2008.4649686.

Abstract

Will enzyme induction (EI) within different hepatic lobular zones, following initial exposure to a single xenobiotic, be homogeneous or heterogeneous? Wet-lab EI experiments, as formulated, are infeasible. The In Silico Liver (ISL) was designed in part to explore plausible answers to such questions. The ISL is synthetic, physiologically based, fine-grained, and multi-agent. It has been validated against in situ drug disposition data. Results from simulation experiments falsified the hypothesis that a uniform distribution of simulated drug passing through an ISL will produce uniform EI. The results may have a hepatic counterpart. We discuss methodological considerations regarding multi-level observation and manipulation of livers and this new class of models.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Chemistry, Physical
  • Computer Simulation
  • Computers
  • Drug Interactions
  • Humans
  • Liver / anatomy & histology
  • Liver / enzymology*
  • Liver Circulation
  • Models, Statistical
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Neural Networks, Computer
  • Phenotype
  • Software
  • Time Factors