Louisiana State University may have found a cure for obesity while
researching drastic weight loss in cancer patients—known as cachexia. (W0
00/00810). Researchers think cachexia follows changes in hormone metabolism. LSU
researchers found an unusual glycoprotein they dubbed azaftig in the urine of
cancer and HIV patients suffering cachexia. Patients suffering extreme weight
loss from other diseases, sepsis, burns or major surgery didn’t have azaftig in
their urine. The glycoprotein binds to receptors on fat cell membranes causing
fat breakdown, so detecting it gives early warning of weight loss. “Azaftig may
aid fat loss in obese humans,” the patent suggests.
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