Patent ID: 8673587
Filing Date: 2014-03-18
Classification: C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of identifying an allosteric acyl-coenzyme A: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) inhibitor comprising: a) determining, for a candidate compound, a level of inhibition of pregnenolone esterification by ACAT in vitro in the presence of cholesterol; b) determining, for the compound, a level of inhibition of pregnenolone esterification by ACAT in vitro without the presence of cholesterol; and c) comparing the level of inhibition of pregnenolone esterification in the presence of cholesterol with the level of inhibition of pregnenolone esterification without the presence of cholesterol, wherein the candidate compound is identified as an allosteric ACAT inhibitor if it inhibits pregnenolone esterification by ACAT in the presence of cholesterol but does not inhibit pregnenolone esterification by ACAT without the presence of cholesterol.