Water-soluble cellulose acetate attenuates glucose intolerance through GLP-1 and PYY signal upregulation

Water-soluble cellulose acetate (WSCA), derived from natural cellulose and acetate, can be used as a food additive and deliver acetate to the large intestine. In this study, we investigated the effects of dietary WSCA supplementation on impaired glucose metabolism in db/db mice, a model of type 2 diabetes mellitus. db/m and db/db mice were fed either a control diet or a WSCA-supplemented diet for eight weeks. The WSCA-supplemented group exhibited improved glucose intolerance or lipid metabolism without any loss of skeletal muscle mass or grip strength. WSCA supplementation significantly increased acetate concentrations in the cecum, stool, and blood. Furthermore, serum levels of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and peptide YY (PYY) were significantly higher in the WSCA group than in the control group. These findings suggest that WSCA delivers acetate to the colon and prevents diabetes by enhancing GLP-1 and PYY secretion in db/db mice.