Patent ID: 7256028

Claim:
A method of screening for a modulator which is capable of modulating or regulating the transcriptional expression of a human delta-5-desaturase enzyme gene, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a host system containing a nucleic acid consisting of a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and a reporter gene operably associated therewith, wherein said nucleic acid is effective to initiate, terminate or regulate a level of transcription of the reporter gene; (b) contacting the host system with a test compound; (c) evaluating the level of transcription of the reporter gene, wherein a measurable difference in the level of transcription of the reporter gene in the presence of the test compound compared to a control under identical conditions but in the absence of the test compound is an indicator of an ability of the test compound to transcriptionally modulate or regulate expression of the delta-5-desaturase gene; and (d) selecting as said modulator the test compound which exhibits said ability.