Method for treating or ameliorating cachexia

A pharmaceutical composition, comprising:

• (a1) a first active ingredient for ameliorating or treating cachexia, the first active ingredient comprising:
• an NUCB protein, or an encoding gene or expression vector thereof;
• (a2) optionally, a second active ingredient for ameliorating or treating cachexia, the second active ingredient comprising:
• other drugs for ameliorating or treating cachexia;
• and
• (b) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A kit, comprising:

• (i) a first container, and an active ingredient located in the first container:
• (a1) NUCB protein, or an encoding gene or expression vector thereof, or a drug containing an active ingredient (a1);
• and
• (ii) optionally a second container, and an active ingredient located in the second container:
• (a2) other drugs for ameliorating or treating cachexia, or a drug containing the active ingredient (a2).

A method for screening a candidate drug for ameliorating or treating cachexia, comprising the steps of:

• (a) in a culture system of in a test group in the presence of a test substance, culturing cells expressing an NUCB protein for a period of time T1, and detecting an expression level E1 and/or activity A1 of the NUCB protein in the culture system of the test group;
• and in a control group in the absence of the test substance and with the same other conditions, detecting an expression level E2 and/or activity A2 of the NUCB protein in the culture system of the control group;
• (b1) comparing E1 and E2, wherein if E1 is significantly higher than E2, it indicates that the test substance is a candidate drug for ameliorating or treating cachexia;
• and/or
• (b2) comparing A1 and A2, wherein if A1 is significantly higher than A2, it indicates that the test substance is a candidate drug for ameliorating or treating cachexia.

A method for screening a candidate drug for treating or ameliorating cachexia, comprising the steps of:

• (a) in a test group in the presence of a test compound, detecting an mRNA expression level or protein level L1 of NUCB1 and/or NUCB2 genes in cells of the test group;
• and in a control group in the absence of the test compound and with the same other conditions, detecting an mRNA expression level or protein level L2 of the NUCB1 and/or NUCB2 genes in the control group;
• and
• (b) comparing L1 and L2, wherein if L2 is significantly lower than L1, it indicates that the test compound is a candidate drug for treating or ameliorating cachexia.