A method of preventing, arresting, reversing and treatment of atherosclerosis by enhancing the activities of Δ6 and Δ5 desaturases such that the
cell, tissue, and
plasma levels of various polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and, in particular that of endothelial cells lining the blood vessels will increase. More particularly, the invention is directed to enhance the activities of Δ6 and Δ5 desaturases that, in turn, will lead to increased production of products of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as
prostacyclin (PGI2), PGI3, lipoxins, resolvins, protecting, PGE1 (
prostaglandin E1),
nitric oxide, and nitrolipids such that atherosclerotic process will be prevented, arrested, reversed and this will lead to efficient arrest, regression, prevention and / or treatment of even established atherosclerosis and its associated conditions. More particularly, the invention is directed to the delivery of proteins, peptides, lipids, lipoproteins, glycolipids, synthetic chemicals such as statins and their derivatives, troglitazones and their derivatives, and other compounds (synthetic or natural) that have the ability to enhance the activities of Δ6 and Δ5 desaturases
in vivo, also provides methods of efficiently delivering cDNA clones of Δ6 and Δ5 desaturases and genes of Δ6 and Δ5 desaturases to endothelial cells and other target cells to prevent, arrest, reverse and treat atherosclerosis.