Adenovirus status as a predictor of body composition change, disease status, and treatment outcomes

Abstract

Infection with obesifying adenoviruses in animals and humans may be used to predict changes in body weight and disease status. More particularly, infection with certain adenoviruses, such as adenovirus type 36 (Ad-36) and adenovirus type 37 (Ad-37) may cause removal of the normal equilibrium factors that control fat cell metabolism and may make individuals more responsive than normal individuals to perturbations, which cause body composition change including weight gain or weight loss.

1 . A method for determining whether a subject will have an increased likelihood of an increased change in weight and/or body fat composition on a regimen, said method comprising the step of:
 assaying a sample obtained from the subject for the presence of obesifying adenovirus nucleic acid sequences wherein the presence of the obesifying adenovirus nucleic acid sequences indicates an increased likelihood of an increased change in weight and/or body fat composition in the subject.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the obesifying adenovirus if adenovirus type 36. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the obesifying nucleic acid sequence comprises SEQ ID NO.: 1. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the assaying step comprises one of a non-PCR based screening method or a PCR based screening method. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the increased change in weight and/or body fat composition is one of an increased loss in weight and/or body fat and an increased gain in weight and/or body fat.