Patent ID: 7485414

Claim:
A method for identifying a compound that modulates angiogenesis, the method comprising the steps of: (i) contacting the compound with a Δ-5 fatty acid desaturase (FADSD5) polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid, wherein the nucleic acid has at least 95% identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:68 and wherein the FADSD5 polypeptide regulates cell surface expression of an αvβ3 protein in an endothelial cell; (ii) determining the effect of the compound upon an in vitro activity of the FADSD5 polypeptide, wherein the compound is capable of binding to FADSD5; (iii) further determining the effect of the compound identified in step (ii) upon a cell-based angiogenesis assay using an endothelial cell that expresses the FADSD5 polypeptide; and (iv) identifying a compound that modulates the activity of the FADSD5 polypeptide, wherein the modulation of the FADSD5 polypeptide regulates cell surface αvβ3 protein expression, and wherein the regulation of αvβ3 protein expression indicates angiogenesis is modified, thereby identifying a compound that modulates angiogenesis.