Designed Functional Dispersion for Insulin Protection from Pepsin Degradation and Skeletal Muscle Cell Proliferation: In Silico and In Vitro Study

Abstract

Functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes with polyethylene glycol (PEGylated SWCNTs) are a promising nanomaterial that recently has emerged as the most attractive “cargo” to deliver chemicals, peptides, DNA and RNAs into cells. Insulin therapy is a recommended therapy to treat diabetes mellitus despite its side effects. Recently, functional dispersion made up of bioactive peptides, bioactive compounds and functionalized carbon nanomaterials such as PEGylated SWCNTs have proved to possess promising applications in nanomedicine. In the present study, molecular modeling simulations are utilized to assist in designing insulin hormone-PEGylated SWCNT composites, also called functional dispersion; to achieve this experimentally, an ultrasonication tool was utilized. Enzymatic degradation assay revealed that the designed functional dispersion protects about 70% of free insulin from pepsin. In addition, sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay, the quantification of insulin and glucose levels in differentiated skeletal muscle cell supernatants, reveals that functional dispersion regulates glucose and insulin levels to promote skeletal muscle cell proliferation. These findings offer new perspectives for designed functional dispersion, as potential pharmaceutical preparations to improve insulin therapy and promote skeletal muscle cell health.

Phytochemicals in Garlic Extract Inhibit Therapeutic Enzyme DPP-4 and Induce Skeletal Muscle Cell Proliferation: A Possible Mechanism of Action to Benefit the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus

“…Rat skeletal muscle cells (L6) were cultured as per the procedure described elsewhere [46]. The rat skeletal muscle cells (L6) were cultured in EMEM media, penicillin (100 units/mL), streptomycin (100 µg/mL), and L-glutamine (sterile filtered) at 37 • C in 5% CO 2 atmosphere.…”

Discovery of Galangin as a Potential DPP-4 Inhibitor That Improves Insulin-Stimulated Skeletal Muscle Glucose Uptake: A Combinational Therapy for Diabetes

“…In this study, the metabolite glucose was quantified as per the protocol described by Chittepu et al [ 41 ] with slight modifications. In brief, differentiated L6 skeletal muscle cells were treated with the treatments: 10 nM insulin, 270.2 μg/mL galangin, combination (10 nM insulin with 270.2 μg/mL of galangin) for 24 h. Then, the cell supernatant was collected and stored at −20 °C for identification and quantification of glucose using 1H-NMR spectroscopy.…”