IMCC: Quantitative Analysis of the Inter-module Connectivity for Bio-network

Inter-module connectivity, which tend to connect different communities and maintain network architectural integrity, is contributing to functional coordination and information flow between modules in perturbations. Detecting the strength of inter-module connection is essential to characterize the reactive bio-systematical variation. A quantitative evaluation method for inter-module connections is needed. Here, based on the high-throughput microarray data from mouse, an evaluation approach (named as IMCC) for inter-module connectivity was developed. The IMCC model, which is an integration of direct and indirect inter-module connections, successfully excluded inter-module connections without statistical significance or below the cutoff value, and provided a more comprehensive landscape of inter-module relationships. We showed that the IMCC method reflected a more precise functional coordination between modules according to KEGG database, were validated by topological parameter. Application of IMCC in genome-scale stroke networks deciphered characteristic pathological “core-periphery” structure of modular map and functional coordination module pair. Author summery Inter-module connectivity, which tend to connect different communities and maintain network architectural integrity, is contributing to functional coordination and information flow between modules in perturbations. Moreover, modular rearrangements provide more efficient ways for phenotype alteration, inter-module connections have been considered to be ‘‘evolutionary interaction switches”. Such modular map rewiring can be used as a network biomarker to characterize the dynamics of drug responses. Detecting the strength of inter-module connection is essential to characterize the reactive bio-systematical variation response to disease or drug. We aim to construct a quantitative evaluation method for inter-module connections. Thus, this study has implications in systematical exploration detailed variation of inter-module pharmacological action mode of drugs.