Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of treating patients having decreased bone mineral density, methods of identifying subjects having increased risk of developing decreased bone mineral density, methods of detecting human Zinc And Ring Finger 3 (ZNRF3) variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides, and ZNRF3 variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of treating subjects having increased lipid levels, methods of identifying subjects having an increased risk of developing an increased lipid level, methods of detecting human Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Transcription Factor 1 (SREBF1) variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides, and SREBF1 variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of treating patients having decreased bone mineral density, methods of identifying subjects having increased risk of developing decreased bone mineral density, methods of detecting human Zinc And Ring Finger 3 (ZNRF3) variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides, and ZNRF3 variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of treating subjects having increased lipid levels, methods of identifying subjects having an increased risk of developing an increased lipid level, methods of detecting human Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Transcription Factor 1 (SREBF1) variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides, and SREBF1 variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of treating subjects having increased lipid levels and/or increased triglyceride levels, methods of identifying subjects having an increased risk of developing an increased lipid level and/or increased triglyceride level, methods of detecting human Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein Cleavage-Activating Protein (SCAP) variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides, and SCAP variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of treating subjects having increased lipid levels and/or increased triglyceride levels, methods of identifying subjects having an increased risk of developing an increased lipid level and/or increased triglyceride level, methods of detecting human Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein Cleavage-Activating Protein (SCAP) variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides, and SCAP variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of treating patients having decreased bone mineral density, methods of identifying subjects having increased risk of developing decreased bone mineral density, methods of detecting human Zinc And Ring Finger 3 (ZNRF3) variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides, and ZNRF3 variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of treating subjects having increased lipid levels and/or increased triglyceride levels, methods of identifying subjects having an increased risk of developing an increased lipid level and/or increased triglyceride level, methods of detecting human Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein Cleavage-Activating Protein (SCAP) variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides, and SCAP variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of treating subjects having increased lipid levels, methods of identifying subjects having an increased risk of developing an increased lipid level, methods of detecting human Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Transcription Factor 1 (SREBF1) variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides, and SREBF1 variant nucleic acid molecules and variant polypeptides.

Abstract: The present invention generally to methods of treating subjects suffering from a cardiac condition or having a risk factor for developing a cardiac condition by administering an ELA peptide or fusion protein to a subject in need. The invention relates to fusion proteins of Fc-ELA-32 and Fc-ELA-21 that exhibit improved properties for use as therapeutic agents, e.g. in the treatment of cardiac conditions. In addition, the present invention relates to polynucleotides encoding such fusion proteins, and vectors and host cells comprising such polynucleotides. The invention further relates to methods for producing the fusion proteins of the invention, and to methods of using them in the treatment of disease.

Abstract: The present invention generally to methods of treating subjects suffering from a cardiac condition or having a risk factor for developing a cardiac condition by administering an ELA peptide or fusion protein to a subject in need. The invention relates to fusion proteins of Fc-ELA-32 and Fc-ELA-21 that exhibit improved properties for use as therapeutic agents, e.g. in the treatment of cardiac conditions. In addition, the present invention relates to polynucleotides encoding such fusion proteins, and vectors and host cells comprising such polynucleotides. The invention further relates to methods for producing the fusion proteins of the invention, and to methods of using them in the treatment of disease.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of diagnosing a disease or predicting an increased risk of a disease, such as obesity, obesity-dependent subacute inflammation, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and a metabolic disease, by determining the levels of omentin 1 and 2 protein in a subject, or by determining the levels of omentin 1 and 2 gene expression in a subject. The present invention is also directed to methods of disease treatment using omentin 1 protein and omentin 2 protein.

Abstract: Novel alanine transaminase (ALT) polypeptides and the use thereof as a diagnostic marker to predict and monitor tissue damage and/or tissue malfunction. The ALT polypeptides are murine and/or rattus ALT polypeptides and said ALT polypeptides are used to detect, predict and/or determine hepatic processes of an animal, particularly mice and/or rats.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of diagnosing a disease or predicting an increased risk of a disease, such as obesity, obesity-dependent subacute inflammation, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and a metabolic disease, by determining the levels of omentin 1 and 2 protein in a subject, or by determining the levels of omentin 1 and 2 gene expression in a subject. The present invention is also directed to methods of disease treatment using omentin 1 protein and omentin 2 protein.

Abstract: Isolated omentin polypeptides that selectively express in omental fat tissue and methods for the use of the polypeptides. The polypeptides can be used in a method for modifying insulin action and/or glucose metabolism in an animal. The polypeptides can be used to promote glucose uptake by animal adipocytes and other cells, tissues, and/or organs. The polypeptides can also used to provide a therapeutic treatment for diseases of or related to glucose metabolism and adipose tissues. The polypeptides are also incorporated into diagnostic tests and testing kits for diagnosing or detecting a disease or condition involving animal tissue that contains, uses, or expresses the polypeptide in an animal suspected of having the disease or condition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the discovery that acute-phase serum amyloid protein A (A-SAA) is a biomarker for obesity and certain abnormal conditions. The present invention, therefore, provides methods of diagnosing obesity or an abnormal condition in a subject The present invention also provides methods of monitoring the progression of obesity or an abnormal condition in a subject. The present invention also relates to treating obesity or an abnormal condition comprising reducing the levels of active SAA1 and/or SAA2 in a subject in need thereof.

Abstract: Isolated omentin polypeptides that selectively express in omental fat tissue and methods for the use of the polypeptides. The polypeptides can be used in a method for modifying insulin action and/or glucose metabolism in an animal. The polypeptides can be used to promote glucose uptake by animal adipocytes and other cells, tissues, and/or organs. The polypeptides can also used to provide a therapeutic treatment for diseases of or related to glucose metabolism and adipose tissues. The polypeptides are also incorporated into diagnostic tests and testing kits for diagnosing or detecting a disease or condition involving animal tissue that contains, uses, or expresses the polypeptide in an animal suspected of having the disease or condition.

Abstract: Novel alanine transaminase (ALT) polypeptides and the use thereof as a diagnostic marker to predict and monitor tissue damage and/or tissue malfunction. The ALT polypeptides are murine and/or rattus ALT polypeptides and said ALT polypeptides are used to detect, predict and/or determine hepatic processes of an animal, particularly mice and/or rats.

Abstract: Isolated omentin polypeptides that selectively express in omental fat tissue and methods for the use of the polypeptides. The polypeptides can be used in a method for modifying insulin action and/or glucose metabolism in an animal. The polypeptides can be used to promote glucose uptake by animal adipocytes and other cells, tissues, and/or organs. The polypeptides can also used to provide a therapeutic treatment for diseases of or related to glucose metabolism and adipose tissues. The polypeptides are also incorporated into diagnostic tests and testing kits for diagnosing or detecting a disease or condition involving animal tissue that contains, uses, or expresses the polypeptide in an animal suspected of having the disease or condition.

Abstract: Isolated omentin polypeptides that selectively express in omental fat tissue and methods for the use of the polypeptides. The polypeptides can be used in a method for modifying insulin action and/or glucose metabolism in an animal. The polypeptides can be used to promote glucose uptake by animal adipocytes and other cells, tissues, and/or organs. The polypeptides can also used to provide a therapeutic treatment for diseases of or related to glucose metabolism and adipose tissues. The polypeptides are also incorporated into diagnostic tests and testing kits for diagnosing or detecting a disease or condition involving animal tissue that contains, uses, or expresses the polypeptide in an animal suspected of having the disease or condition.