Patent ID: 7611832

Claim:
A method of identifying a compound as having cardioprotective activity comprising: (a) contacting a candidate compound with a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO:3, wherein said GPCR is present on a cell or isolated membrane thereof and wherein overexpression of the GPCR promotes survival of cardiomyocytes; (b) determining whether said compound stimulates the GPCR; (c) identifying a compound as having an activity that stimulates said GPCR; (d) determining whether said compound of step (c) has cardioprotective activity by: (i) administering said compound of step (c) to a mammal; and (ii) determining whether said compound of step (c) modulates cardiac function in the mammal; or (iii) contacting said compound of step (c) with a cardiomyocyte cell in vitro; and (iv) determining whether said compound modulates survival of said cardiomyocyte cell; and (e) identifying a compound as having cardioprotective activity.