Patent ID: 7510851

Claim:
A method for identifying an agent for modulating insulin sensitivity in a cell, the method comprising the steps of: (i) contacting a cell comprising an aldo-keto reductase 1C (AKR1C) polypeptide or fragment thereof with an agent, wherein the AKR1C polypeptide or the fragment thereof catalyzes the interconversion of 9Î±, 11Î²-prostaglandin F 2Î± (9Î±, 11Î²-PGF 2Î± ) from prostaglandin D2 and wherein the polypeptide or fragment thereof is at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 17, or SEQ ID NO:23; (ii) selecting an agent that modulates the catalytic activity of the AKR1C polypeptide or fragment thereof compared to the catalytic activity of the AKR1C polypeptide in the absence of the agent, and (iii) contacting the agent selected in step ii) to a cell and testing the insulin sensitivity of the cell, thereby identifying an agent that modulates insulin sensitivity.