System for screening fatty acid transport inhibitors, methods of use and modulators identified thereby

A method for identifying modulators of fatty acid uptake, comprising:

• a) supplying a fatty acid to a test system comprising yeast test cells and yeast control cells wherein the genotype of the test cells and control cells is fat1Δ faa4Δ, and wherein said test cells and control cells have been transfected with a vector expressing a mammalian fatty acid transport mediator protein (“TTMp”);
• b) contacting a putative modulator with the test cells, but not the control cells;
• c) measuring accumulation of the fatty acid in the test cells and control cells;
• and
• d) comparing accumulation of the fatty acid in the test cells with accumulation of the fatty acid in the control cells,
• wherein a lesser quantity of fatty acid accumulated in the test cells compared to the control cells indicates that the putative modulator is an inhibitor of fatty acid uptake, and wherein a greater quantity of fatty acid accumulated in the test cells compared to the control cells indicates that the putative modulator is an enhancer of fatty acid uptake.

A method for identifying modulators of fatty acid uptake, comprising:

• a) supplying a fatty acid to a test system comprising yeast test cells and yeast control cells wherein the genotype of the test cells and control cells is fat1Δ faa1Δ faa4Δ, and wherein said test cells and control cells have been transfected with a vector expressing a mammalian fatty acid transport mediator protein (“TTMp”);
• b) contacting a putative modulator with the test cells, but not the control cells;
• c) measuring accumulation of the fatty acid in the test cells and control cells;
• and
• d) comparing accumulation of the fatty acid in the test cells with accumulation of the fatty acid in the control cells,
• wherein a lesser quantity of fatty acid accumulated in the test cells compared to the control cells indicates that the putative modulator is an inhibitor of fatty acid uptake, and wherein a greater quantity of fatty acid accumulated in the test cells compared to the control cells indicates that the putative modulator is an enhancer of fatty acid uptake.