: Silk fibroin hydrolysates have been reported to reduce hyperglycemia, but the mechanism has not been determined in Asian type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We hypothesized that the consumption of acid hydrolyzed silk peptides (SPs) alleviates hyperglycemia by improving insulin sensitivity and subsequently normalizing glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in T2DM. We investigated this hypothesis in a partial pancreatectomized (Px) rat model. Px rats was assigned randomly to the following six groups and fed assigned diet for 8 weeks: the Px-CON (0.5 g/kg/day dextrin), the SP-L (0.05 g/kg/day), the SP-M (0.1 g/kg/day), the SP-H (0.5 g/kg/day), the positive-CON (30 mg/kg/day metformin), or the normal-CON (sham-operated rats; 0.5 g/kg/day dextrin). SPs contained high levels of glycine, alanine, and serine. We found SPs dose-dependently increased food efficiency and body weight gain in Px rats. Animals in the Px-control group rats exhibited lower glucose metabolism, as evidenced by impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion coupled with impaired insulin sensitivity, and reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and lean body mass (LBM), compared to normal-CON. SPs and metformin similarly partially protected against Px-induced BMD loss in the lumbar spine and femur. Px-induced decreases in LBM were dose-dependently prevented by SPs, and muscle forces in the SP-M and SP-H groups were maintained at the normal-CON level. Glucose tolerance was dose-dependently improved by SPs as determined by oral glucose tolerance and oral maltose tolerance tests, and glucose tolerances were similar in the SP-H and positive-CON groups. Insulin tolerance, an index of insulin sensitivity, was dose-dependently enhanced by SPs, and the SP-H group exhibited better insulin tolerance than the positive-CON group as determined by intraperitoneal insulin sensitivity testing. Insulin secretory capacity assessed using a hyperglycemic clamp improved in the following order: Px-control <SA-L <SA-M <positive-control <SA-H <normal-control. SP-M prevented gut microbiota dysbiosis. In conclusion, SPs administered at 0.1-0.5 g/kg/day improved glucose regulation by potentiating both insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in non-obese T2DM rats.
Keywords: Triglyceride; glucose tolerance; gut microbiome; intestinal cells; silk peptide.