HUMAN STANNIOCALCIN AND USES THEREOF TO INHIBIT ADIPOGENESIS

摘要

A novel protein and a process of producing the protein is provided. The protein is a glycoprotein having activity of suppressing the differentiation and/or maturation of adipocyte, having a molecular weight of about 45 kD under non-reducing conditions and about 28 kD and/or 23 kD under reducing conditions, and exhibiting affinity to heparin. A process of producing the protein comprising culturing human fibroblasts and purifying the culture broth by chromatography using an ion exchange column, affinity column, and reverse phase column. A cDNA encoding the protein and a process of producing the protein using the cDNA are also provided. The protein of the present invention is useful as a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating obesity or as an antigen for establishing immunological diagnosis, etc..