Newly discovered myokine feimin for diabetes

The skeletal muscle-secreted myokine feimin, which is encoded by a gene with previously unknown function, could help treat diabetes by promoting glucose uptake by adipose and muscle cells, and decreasing glucose production by the liver.

Mass spectrometry of feeding-induced secreted proteins in mice identified a previously uncharacterized protein, feimin, that is induced by insulin and glucose. Genetic and biochemical studies showed feimin activates AKT and regulates GLUT4 expression similarly to insulin, but signals through the receptor tyrosine kinase MERTK instead of the insulin receptor. ...