Patent ID: 7294480
Filing Date: 2007-11-13
Classification: A61P,C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
1. A process for identifying a delta-6 desaturase-modulating agent, comprising: a) contacting a test compound with a microsome or a microsomal extract of a mammalian cell or a recombinant cell having a delta-6 desaturase enzyme activity, in the presence of a substrate comprising a tritium label, wherein said label is bound to a delta-6 desaturase reactive carbon atom and under conditions promoting the desaturation of said substrate at said reactive carbon atom to form a double bond with said reactive carbon atom with release of tritiated water, wherein the recombinant cell is transformed with a plasmid expression construct containing a functional form of the delta-6 desaturase gene, b) determining production of said tritiated water, and c) determining a difference in the amount or rate of production of said tritiated water compared to when the contacting of step (a) does not occur, wherein a difference in production of tritiated water identifies the test compound as a delta-6 desaturase modulating agent.