General model of a cascade of reactions with time delays: global stability analysis (Q2342730)

The author discusses the global stability of a system of nonlinear differential equations with discrete as well as distributed delays which arise in the context of Hes1 gene expression. The system can be considered as an extension of the model proposed in [\textit{N.A. Monk}, ``Oscillatory expression of Hes1, p53, and NF-\(\kappa\)B driven by transcriptional time delays'', Curr. Biol. 13, No. 6, 1409--1413 (2003; \url{doi:10.1016/S0960-9822(03)00494-9})] and describes a cascade of \(n\) chemical reactions with feedback in which the production of the \(i\)-th substance (\(1\leq i\leq n\)) depends on the density of the \(i-1\)-th (modulo \(n\)). The approach devised by the author relies on investigating the asymptotic behaviour of a corresponding discrete dynamical system rather than on using Lyapunov functionals. It is assumed that the (time-dependent) production functions enjoy sublinear (and time-independent) growth conditions. Assuming that a certain condition involving the product of all growth constants is satisfied, the authors establish the global stability of the trivial steady state via quantitative estimations, the Mikhailov Criterion and the use of several auxiliary results from \textit{E. Liz} and \textit{A. Ruiz-Herrera} [J. Differ. Equations 255, No. 11, 4244--4266 (2013; Zbl 1291.34121); addendum ibid. 257, No. 4, 1307--1309 (2014)]. The main contribution of the paper is consequently the derivation of a global stability condition which is of practical use and can be employed to discuss the stability of other types of models as well, another application to the study of a signalling pathway model with feedback being also detailed therein.