Patent ID: 7419814

Claim:
A method for detecting an agent or a drug which inhibits or promotes an enzymatic activity of a sphingosine kinase type 2 isoform encoded by (a) a DNA having a nucleotide sequence consisting essentially of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11 or (b) a DNA encoding protein consisting essentially of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12, the method comprising: (i) providing a vector comprising said DNA and a cell comprising said vector such that said sphingosine kinase type 2 isoform is produced in said cell, (ii) adding at least one drug or agent to said cell, and (iii) detecting whether or not said drug or agent inhibits or promotes the enzymatic activity of the sphingosine kinase type 2 isoform by measuring an amount of lipids phosphorylated by said sphingosine kinase type 2 isoform in said cell and comparing the resultant measurement to a control which did not receive said drug or agent, wherein a decrease in the amount of lipids phosphorylated by said sphingosine kinase type 2 isoform as compared to the control indicates an inhibitory drug or agent, or an increase in the amount of lipids phosphorylated by said sphingosine kinase type 2 isoform in said cell as compared to the control indicates a stimulatory drug or agent.