The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 03, 1998
Filed:
Dec. 02, 1993
Ginette Serrero, Lake Placid, NY (US);
W. Alton Jones Cell Science Center, Inc., Lake Placid, NY (US);
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor (EGF), which can act as a potent inhibitor of adipocyte differentiation in vitro, affects adipose tissue differentiation in vivo and can suppress obesity. Methods are provided for inhibiting the differentiation of adipocyte precursor cells, and for treating or preventing obesity, which comprise administering an effective amount of a composition capable of binding to and activating the EGF receptor, preferably epidermal EGF or a functional derivative thereof, TGF.alpha., an antibody specific for the EGF receptor or an anti-idiotypic antibody specific for an idiotope on an antibody specific for EGF. Also provided is a method for determining the susceptibility of a subject to obesity or determining the presence of obesity associated with an abnormality in EGF or EGF receptor, which comprises measuring EGF in a body fluid or the amount or activity of EGF receptor protein or mRNA in adipocyte precursors.