Zinc alpha-2-glycoprotein

Patent Pending 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.