Viral obesity methods and compositions

• US RE39,914 E1
• Filed: 06/27/2006
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Obetech LLC
• Original Assignee: Obetech LLC
• Inventors: Atkinson, Richard L., Dhurandhar, Nikhil V.
• Primary Examiner(s): SALIMI, ALI REZA
• Application Number:
  US11/475,235
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 435/6, 435/345, 435/7.1
• US Class Current: 435/6.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 39/00 Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies materials for immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 39/12 Viral antigens
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 39/235 Adenoviridae
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/005 from viruses
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 16/081 from DNA viruses
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 2317/76 Antagonist effect on antigen, e.g. neutralization or inhibition of binding
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2710/10321 Viruses as such, e.g. new isolates, mutants or their genomic sequences
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2710/10322 New viral proteins or individual genes, new structural or functional aspects of known viral proteins or genes
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2710/10334 Use of virus or viral component as vaccine, e.g. live-attenuated or inactivated virus, VLP, viral protein
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 7/00 Viruses; Bacteriophages; Compositions thereof; Preparation or purification thereof preparing medicinal viral antigen or antibody compositions, e.g. virus vaccines, A61K39/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6883 for diseases caused by alterations of genetic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/701 Specific hybridization probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2333/075 Adenoviridae
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/044 Hyperlipemia or hypolipemia, e.g. dyslipidaemia, obesity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/56983 Viruses

Abstract

A source of viral induced obesity has been discovered. A virus known as AD-36Padenovirus type 36 has been found to be associated with obesity in both animals and humans. Diagnostic DNA sequences are presented so that DNA based tests for the presence of the obesity associated virus can be conducted.

Claims

1. A method of determining whether an obese person is suffering from viral obesity caused by adenovirus type 36p, the method comprising the steps of isolating from the person a sample selected from the group consisting of a body fluid, feces, a sample of tissue and a sample of an organ from the person, obtaining an antibody specific to an adenovirus type 36p, and;

assaying the sample using the antibody to test for the presence of the adenovirus type 36p thus testing whether the person has been or is infected with adenovirus type 36p, which causes obesity and reduces cholesterol level in humans.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the substance analyzed is blood.

3. A method for the detection of virally caused obesity in an obese subject comprising the steps of

isolating a sample of biological tissue or fluid from the subject;

providing an antibody specific to adenovirus type 36p;

testing the sample, using the antibody diagnostic for adenovirus type 36p; and

detecting the presence of adenovirus type 36p to determine if the subject has viral induced obesity.

4. A method for predicting a predisposition to virally-induced obesity in a non-obese subject comprising the steps of:

obtaining a sample from the subject; and

determining the presence of antibodies specific to adenovirus type 36(Ad-36) in the subject wherein the presence of Ad-36 in the non-obese subject predisposes the subject to viral-induced obesity.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of determining the presence of antibodies specific to adenovirus type 36 comprises the steps of:

screening for the presence of the antibodies specific to adenovirus type 36 in the sample; and

determining the presence of the antibodies specific to adenovirus type 36 in said determining step in the sample.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the antibodies are specific to one or more peptides encoded by the nucleic acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:

1, SEQ ID NO;

2, SEQ ID NO;

3, and SEQ ID NO;

4.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said determining step is performed by one or more methods selected from the group consisting of serum neutralization assays and ELISA.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the subject is a human.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the subject is an animal.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the sample is selected from the group consisting of a biological sample, body fluid, a tissue sample, an organ sample, feces, blood, saliva, and any combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the biological sample is a blood sample.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein the subject has a body mass index (BMI) less than about 27 kg/m² and has adipose tissue that is present in an amount greater than about 25% of the body weight of the subject.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein the subject has a BMI less than about 27 kg/m² and has adipose tissue that is present in an amount that is greater than about 30% of the body weight of the subject.

14. A method for diagnosing virally-induced obesity in a subject comprising the steps of:

obtaining a sample from the subject; and

determining the presence of antibodies specific to adenovirus 36 in the subject.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of determining the presence of the antibodies comprises the steps of:

screening for the presence of antibodies specific to adenovirus type 36 in the sample; and

determining the presence of antibodies specific to adenovirus type 36 in the sample.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the antibodies in said determining step are specific to one or more peptides encoded by the nucleic acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:

1, SEQ ID NO;

2, SEQ ID NO;

3, and SEQ ID NO;

4.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the subject is a human.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the subject is an animal.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the sample is selected from the group consisting of a biological sample, body fluid, a tissue sample, an organ sample, feces, blood, saliva, and any combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the sample is blood.