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Sci. STKE, 28 October 2003
Vol. 2003, Issue 206, p. pe46
[DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.2062003pe46]

PERSPECTIVES

Microarray Analysis in Drug Discovery: An Uplifting View of Depression

Shawn E. Levy*

Department of Biomedical Informatics, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 4th Floor EBL, 2209 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232-8340, USA.

Abstract: Genomic profiling provides insights into drug evaluation for diseases without defined molecular mechanisms or cellular assays. Levy provides a brief background in the development of microarray analysis and discussion of the application of this technique to pharmacogenomics. Highlighted is the microarray analysis of primary human neurons treated with antidepressants, antipsychotics, or opioid receptor agonists, demonstrating that these classes of drugs can be properly categorized by using two different statistical analysis methods: classification tree and random forest. Not only is microarray analysis valuable for drug evaluation and leading candidate development, but the genes identified as markers for the various drug classifications point to new directions for research into the underlying pathways responsible for human diseases, such as depression and psychosis.

*Contact information. Telephone, 615-936-3000; fax, 615-936-3002; e-mail, shawn.levy{at}vanderbilt.edu

Citation: S. E. Levy, Microarray Analysis in Drug Discovery: An Uplifting View of Depression. Sci. STKE 2003, pe46 (2003).

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Science Signaling. ISSN 1937-9145 (online), 1945-0877 (print). Pre-2008: Science's STKE. ISSN 1525-8882