Changes to insulin sensitivity in glucose clearance systems and redox following dietary supplementation with a novel cysteine-rich protein: A pilot randomized controlled trial in humans with type-2 diabetes

We recently developed a novel keratin-derived protein (KDP) rich in cysteine, glycine, and arginine, with the potential to alter tissue redox status and insulin sensitivity. The KDP was tested in 35 human adults with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a 14-wk randomised controlled pilot trial comprising three 2×20 g supplemental protein/day arms: KDP-whey (KDPWHE), whey (WHEY), non-protein isocaloric control (CON), with standardised exercise. Outcomes were measured morning fasted and following insulin-stimulation (80 mU/m2/min hyperinsulinaemic-isoglycaemic clamp). With KDPWHE supplementation there was good and very-good evidence for moderate-sized increases in insulin-stimulated glucose clearance rate (GCR; 26%; 90% confidence limits, CL 2%, 49%) and skeletal-muscle microvascular blood flow (46%; 16%, 83%), respectively, and good evidence for increased insulin-stimulated sarcoplasmic GLUT4 translocation (18%; 0%, 39%) vs CON. In contrast, WHEY did not effect GCR (-2%; -25%, 21%) and attenuated HbA1c lowering (14%; 5%, 24%) vs CON. KDPWHE effects on basal glutathione in erythrocytes and skeletal muscle were unclear, but in muscle there was very-good evidence for large increases in oxidised peroxiredoxin isoform 2 (oxiPRX2) (19%; 2.2%, 35%) and good evidence for lower GPx1 concentrations (-40%; -4.3%, -63%) vs CON; insulin stimulation, however, attenuated the basal oxiPRX2 response (4%; -16%, 24%), and increased GPx1 (39%; -5%, 101%) and SOD1 (26%; -3%, 60%) protein expression. Effects of KDPWHE on oxiPRX3 and NRF2 content, phosphorylation of capillary eNOS and insulin-signalling proteins upstream of GLUT4 translocation AktSer437 and AS160Thr642 were inconclusive, but there was good evidence for increased IRSSer312 (41%; 3%, 95%), insulin-stimulated NFκB-DNA binding (46%; 3.4%, 105%), and basal PAK-1Thr423/2Thr402 phosphorylation (143%; 66%, 257%) vs WHEY. Our findings provide good evidence to suggest that dietary supplementation with a novel edible keratin protein in humans with T2DM may increase glucose clearance and modify skeletal-muscle tissue redox and insulin sensitivity within systems involving peroxiredoxins, antioxidant expression, and glucose uptake.