Fig. 3: Metabolic improvement effect of SsEPS intake on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity.

a Bacterial SCFA levels in the culture supernatants of each gut bacterium (n = 6 independent experiments). **P < 0.01. Two-tailed Mann–Whitney U test was used for the statistical analysis. b–e C57BL/6J and Gpr41Gpr43 double-deficient mice were fed an HFD supplemented with 10% cellulose or SsEPS for 12 weeks. Faecal and plasma SCFA levels were measured using GC-MS (b), changes in body and tissue weight (c) Epi, epididymal; peri, perirenal; sub, subcutaneous; WAT, white adipose tissue. (n = 9, 10 independent experiments). **P < 0.01, *P < 0.05. Two-tailed Mann–Whitney U test was used for the statistical analysis. Blood glucose, plasma non-esterified fatty acid (NEFAs) (d), GLP-1 (e), and PYY levels (f) were measured at the end of the experimental period (n = 9, 10 independent experiments). Two-tailed Mann–Whitney U test was used for the statistical analysis. NS, not significant. g Daily food intake at 12 weeks of age (n = 5 independent experiments). Two-tailed Mann–Whitney U test was used for the statistical analysis. h Expression of Ucp 1 mRNA (n = 10 independent experiments) was measured by RT-qPCR in subcutaneous WAT. Two-tailed Mann–Whitney U test was used for the statistical analysis. i, j Following 24 h of fasting, the mice were fed 0.2 g AIN-93G, containing 50% cellulose or 50% SsEPS, and an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test was performed 1 h after feeding. Wild-type (n = 10 independent experiments), Gpr41Gpr43 double-deficient (n = 7, 8 independent experiments), ICR (n = 8, 9 independent experiments), and GF-ICR (n = 8 independent experiments) mice were used. **P < 0.01, *P < 0.05 (Mann–Whitney U test). Plasma insulin levels were measured 15 min after intraperitoneal glucose administration. Wild-type (n = 8, 9 independent experiments), Gpr41Gpr43 double-deficient (n = 7, 8 independent experiments), ICR and GF-ICR (n = 8 independent experiments) mice were used. Dunn’s post-hoc test was used for the statistical analysis. Results are presented as means ± standard error of the mean (SE). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.