Effects of hemicellulose on intestinal mucosal barrier integrity, gut microbiota, and metabolomics in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background and objective: Impaired gut barrier contributes to the progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and the gut microbiota and metabolome play an important role in it. Hemicellulose, a potential prebiotics, how its supplementation impacted the glucose level, the impaired gut barrier, and the gut microbiota and metabolome in T2DM remained unclear. Methods: In this study, some mice were arranged randomly into four groups: db/db mice fed by a compositionally defined diet (CDD), db/db mice fed by a CDD with 10% and 20% hemicellulose supplementation, and control mice fed by a CDD. Body weight and fasting blood glucose levels were monitored weekly. The gut barrier was evaluated. Fresh stool samples were analyzed using metagenomic sequencing and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to detect gut microbiota and metabolome changes. Systemic and colonic inflammation were evaluated. Results: Better glycemic control, restoration of the impaired gut barrier, and lowered systemic inflammation levels were observed in db/db mice with the supplementation of 10 or 20% hemicellulose. The gut microbiota showed significant differences in beta diversity among the four groups. Fifteen genera with differential relative abundances and 59 significantly different metabolites were found. In the db/db group, hemicellulose eliminated the redundant Conclusion: Hemicellulose may serve as a potential therapeutic intervention for T2DM by improving impaired intestinal mucosal barrier integrity, modulating gut microbiota composition, and altering the metabolic profile.