The three different phases in the dynamics of chemical reaction networks and their relationship to cancer

TL;DR

This paper explores the three phases in chemical reaction network dynamics and hypothesizes their connection to cancer development through cellular process imbalances.

Contribution

It introduces a general model linking reaction phases to cancer, emphasizing phase transitions as a potential mechanism for disease onset.

Findings

Identification of three distinct dynamic phases in chemical reaction networks

Proposed link between phase transitions and cancer initiation

Hypothesis that deregulated metabolic reactions induce phase changes

Abstract

We investigate the catalytic reactions model used in cell modeling. The reaction kinetic is defined through the energies of different species of molecules following random independent distribution. The related statistical physics model has three phases and these three phases emerged in the dynamics: fast dynamics phase, slow dynamic phase and ultra-slow dynamic phase. The phenomenon we found is a rather general, does not depend on the details of the model. We assume as a hypothesis that the transition between these phases (glassiness degrees) is related to cancer. The imbalance in the rate of processes between key aspects of the cell (gene regulation, protein-protein interaction, metabolical networks) creates a change in the fine tuning between these key aspects, affects the logics of the cell and initiates cancer. It is probable that cancer is a change of phase resulting from increased and deregulated metabolic reactions.