In vitro Effects of Cellulose Acetate on Fermentation Profiles, the Microbiome, and Gamma-aminobutyric Acid Production in Human Stool Cultures

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is considered as a potential candidate substance that mediates the effects of intestinal bacteria on human mental health. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of water-soluble cellulose acetate (WSCA), a type of cellulose ester, on fermentation and microbial profiles, and GABA production in human stool cultures prepared from fresh feces from volunteers. In addition, the GABA-producing ability of Bacteroides uniformis , which can utilize WSCA, was evaluated in a pure-culture study. All incubations were conducted anaerobically. WSCA supplementation increased ( P < 0.05) acetate and propionate production and decreased ( P < 0.05) the pH in human fecal cultures. WSCA significantly altered the microbiota, selectively increasing the relative abundance of B. uniformis ( P < 0.05). Pure-culture study results revealed that B. uniformis produces GABA, possibly via a glutamate-dependent acid resistance system under low pH conditions. In conclusion, WSCA could be a potential prebiotic material that is fermented by intestinal bacteria and increases short-chain fatty acid and GABA production in the human gut. Bacteroides uniformis might play an important role in both WSCA degradation and GABA production in the intestine. Graphical Abstract