Pleurotus eryngii extruded rice improved HFD/STZ-induced type 2 diabetic mice by activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and regulating gut microbiota

P.eryngii extruded rice (PEER) has been demonstrated to be a medium glycemic index food. To investigate its hypoglycemic potential, this study established a type 2 diabetic mouse model using streptozotocin (STZ) combined with a high-fat diet, followed by an 8 wk. dietary intervention. The results showed that, compared to the model control (MC) group, PEER intervention significantly lowered blood glucose, improved oral glucose tolerance (OGTT), reduced blood lipids (TC, TG, and LDL-C decreased by 18.22 %, 19.65 %, and 52.25 %, respectively) and insulin levels. In addition, PEER significantly upregulated the relative expression of IR, IRS-1, IRS-2, PI3K, and GSK-3β genes in the liver, altered the composition and structural proportion of gut microbiota in mice and notably increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Akkermansia. In conclusion, PEER exhibited a significant hypoglycemic effect in type 2 diabetic mice, providing a theoretical basis for developing P. eryngii -based hypoglycemic products. • Pleurotus eryngii extruded rice has a significant hypoglycemic effect. • PEER can activate the insulin IR/PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β pathway. • PEER modulated the structure of gut microbiota, notably by enriching the probiotics.