Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Xenon Genetics Inc.

Andre Ponton

Michael D Winther

Stephen John Allen

Roberto Justo De Antueno

Leah Christine Knickle

D Kenneth Jenkins

Martin Haardt

Solomon O Nwaka

Y Paul Goldberg

The present invention relates to elongase genes, their polypeptides and their control regions, and the use of such genes, polypeptides and control regions in determining compositions for use in the treatment of disease. The identified compositions regulate the expression of the elongase genes or modulate the activity of their protein products. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences are taught for ELG4, ELG6 and ELG7. The control sequences and function are taught for ELG1, ELG2, ELG3, ELG4, ELG5, ELG6 and ELG7.

Human elongase genes and uses thereof

Drug screening assays useful in the discovery of pharmaceutically active compounds for use in the treatment of diseases involving abnormal lipid metabolism including diabetic neuropathy are taught. In particular, the control region of delta-5-desaturase gene is taught as a target for the drug screening methods, which serve to identify nucleotides, proteins, compounds and/or other pharmacological agents, which modulate the activity of desaturase enzymes or regulate the level of expression of the desaturase genes. Cell-based and cell lysate assays are taught for detecting components that interact with the desaturase enzymes and modify fatty acid profiles. In addition, cell-based and cell lysate assays are used to identify functional and regulatory elements controlling expression of the desaturase genes as well as to screen for components that modulate the transcriptional activity of the desaturase genes. Also taught is the gene for rat delta-5-desaturase.

Methods for screening compounds that modulate lipid metabolism

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St. Hubert, Canada

Andre Ponton