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AZGP1

Zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein is a protein that in humans is encoded by the AZGP1 gene.[1][2]

This gene expresses a soluble protein that stimulates lipolysis, induces a reduction in body fat in mice, is associated with the cachexia related to cancer, and is known to be expressed in secretory cells of lung epithelium.[3] In 2009, it was found that smoking increases expression of this gene, which is why smoking cessation leads to weight gain.[3] Zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein levels also rise with onset of Diabetes 2, which accounts for weight loss thereafter.


References

References

  1. Ueyama H, Niwa M, Tada T, Sasaki M, Ohkubo I (Jul 1991). “Cloning and nucleotide sequence of a human Zn-alpha 2-glycoprotein cDNA and chromosomal assignment of its gene”. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 177 (2): 696–703. doi:10.1016/0006-291X(91)91844-3. PMID 2049092.
  2. “Entrez Gene: AZGP1 alpha-2-glycoprotein 1, zinc-binding”.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Vanni, H; Kazeros, A; Wang, R; Harvey, BG; Ferris, B; De, BP; Carolan, BJ; Hübner, RH; et al. (2009). “Cigarette Smoking Induces Overexpression of a Fat-Depleting Gene AZGP1 in the Human”. Chest. 135 (5): 1197–208. doi:10.1378/chest.08-1024. PMC 2679098. PMID 19188554.
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