Patent ID: 8187821

Claim:
A method of screening for compounds that modulate the activity of PGRMC1 or a homologue thereof comprising: (a) contacting a test compound with cholesterol and a membrane-bound PGRMC1 or a homologue thereof to form a reaction mixture; and (b) determining whether incorporation of cholesterol into the membrane is increased or decreased in the presence of the test compound, wherein a decrease in the incorporation is an indication that the test compound inhibits the activity of PGRMC1 or homologue thereof, and an increase in the incorporation is an indication that the test compound enhances the activity of PGRMC1, wherein the PGRMC1 or homologue thereof is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a protein having an amino acid sequence that is at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2 or a protein having an amino acid sequence that is at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3 or a protein having an amino acid sequence that is at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4 or a protein having an amino acid sequence that is at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO: 4, and SEQ ID NO: 5 or a protein having an amino acid sequence that is at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO: 5.