The release of hazardous chemicals into aquatic environments has long been a known problem, but its full impact has only recently been realized. This study presents a validated liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method for detecting pharmaceutical and pesticide residues in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis). An innovative MS-compatible extraction method was developed and validated, demonstrating successful recovery rates for analytes at three different concentration levels (25-95%). The method detected the target analytes at ng/g concentrations with high accuracy (-7% to 11%) and low relative standard deviation (<10%) for both intra-day and inter-day analyses. After validation, the method was applied to mussel samples collected from a commercial farm near Senigallia, Adriatic Sea, detecting different contaminants in the range of 2-40 ng/g (dry weight). The study provides a valuable tool for investigating the potential threats posed by diverse contaminant classes with high annual tonnage, including analytes with known persistence and/or illegal status.

Bile acids (BAs), endogenous acidic steroids synthetized from cholesterol in the liver, play a key role in the gut–liver axis physiopathology, including in hepatotoxicity, intestinal inflammatory processes, and cholesterol homeostasis. Faecal Oxo-BAs, relatively stable intermediates of oxidation/epimerization reactions of the BA hydroxyls, could be relevant to investigating the crosstalk in the liver–gut axis and the relationship between diseases and alterations in microbiota composition. A paucity of information currently exists on faecal BA profiles in dogs with and without chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE). Comprehensive assessment of 31 molecules among faecal BAs and related microbiota metabolites was conducted with high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Odds ratios (ORs) for associations of BAs with CIE were estimated using logistic regression. Principal component analysis was performed to find differences between the control and pathological dogs. Higher levels of primary BAs and muricholic acids, and lower levels of secondary BAs were found in pathological dogs. Higher concentrations in faecal oxo-metabolites were associated with the absence of CIE (OR < 1). This study shows a marked difference in faecal BA profiles between dogs with and without CIE. Further research will be needed to better understand the role of oxo-BAs and muricholic acids in CIE dogs.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the second among the causes of tumor death worldwide, with an estimation of 1.9 million new cases in 2020 and more than 900,000 deaths. This rate might increase by 60% over the next 10 years. These data are unacceptable considering that CRC could be successfully treated if diagnosed in the early stages. A high-fat diet promotes the hepatic synthesis of bile acids (BAs) increasing their delivery to the colonic lumen and numerous scientific reports correlate BAs, especially secondary BAs, with CRC incidence. We reviewed the physicochemical and biological characteristics of BAs, focusing on the major pathways involved in CRC risk and progression. We specifically pointed out the role of BAs as signaling molecules and the tangled relationships among their nuclear and membrane receptors with the big bang of molecular and cellular events that trigger CRC occurrence.

Accumulating evidence suggests that high consumption of natural antioxidants promotes health by reducing oxidative stress and, thus, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Similarly, fermentation of natural compounds with lactic acid bacteria (LAB), such as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, enhances their beneficial properties as regulators of the immune, digestive, and cardiovascular system. We investigated the effects of fermentation with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum on the antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of Pushgay berries (Vaccinium floribundum, Ericaceae family) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and macrophage cell line RAW264.7. Polyphenol content was assayed by Folin–Ciocalteu and HPLC-MS/MS analysis. The effects of berries solutions on cell viability or proliferation were assessed by WST8 (2-(2-methoxy-4-nitrophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(2,4-disulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, monosodium salt and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, Trypan blue exclusion test, and Alamar blue assay. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by a cell-based chemiluminescent probe for the detection of intracellular H2O2 production in HUVECs. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression levels were investigated by RT-qPCR. Glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities, as markers of intracellular antioxidant defense, were evaluated by spectrophotometric analysis. The immunomodulatory activity was examined in RAW 264.7 by quantification of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and Tumor Necrosis Factor—alpha (TNFα) by RT-qPCR. Data showed that fermentation of Pushgay berries (i) enhances the content of quercetin aglycone, and (ii) increases their intracellular antioxidant activity, as indicated by the reduction in H2O2-induced cell death and the decrease in H2O2-induced HO-1 gene expression in HUVECs treated for 24 h with fermented berries solution (10 µg/mL). Moreover, treatment with Pushgay berries for 72 h (10 µg/mL) promotes cells growth in RAW 264.7, and only fermented Pushgay berries increase the expression of iNOS in the same cell line. Taken together, our results show that LAB fermentation of Pushgay berries enhances their antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties.

Food waste is a global problem due to its environmental and economic impact, so there is great demand for the exploitation of new functional applications. The winemaking process leads to an incomplete extraction of high-value compounds, leaving the pomace still rich in polyphenols. This study was aimed at optimising and validating sustainable routes toward the extraction and further valorisation of these polyphenols, particularly for cosmeceutical applications. New formulations based on red grape pomace polyphenols and natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDESs) were here investigated, namely betaine combined with citric acid (BET-CA), urea (BET-U) and ethylene glycol (BET-EG), in which DESs were used both as extracting and carrying agents for polyphenols. The flavonoid profile determined by HPLC-MS/MS analysis showed similar malvidin content (51–56 μg mL−1) in the DES combinations, while BET-CA gave the best permeation performance in Franz cells, so it was further investigated in 3D human keratinocytes (HaCat spheroids) injured with the pro-oxidant agent menadione. BET-CA treatment showed good intracellular antioxidant activity (IC50 0.15 ± 0.02 μg mL−1 in malvidin content) and significantly decreased (p < 0.001) the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8, improving cell viability. Thus, BET-CA formulation is worthy of investigation for potential use as a cosmetic ingredient to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, which are causes of skin aging.

Atherosclerosis and atherosclerotic-related cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) are characterized by high serum levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) that can promote the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). To answer the need for better LDL-C control in individuals at high and very high risk for CVD, a new injectable innovative family of lipid-lowering (LL) monoclonal antibodies against the protein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) has been approved. However, the effect of these drugs on vascular function, such as ROS generation and arterial stiffness, has not already been extensively described. In this report, we present data from 18 males with high to very high CV risk undergoing LL treatment (LLT) with either statin and ezetimibe or ezetimibe monotherapy, who experienced, after a 2-month treatment with Evolocumab, a significant improvement in blood pressure (BP)-adjusted carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) (p-value = 0.0005 in the whole cohort, p-value = 0.0046 in the sub-cohort undergoing background LLT with statin and ezetimibe, p-value = 0.015 in the sub-cohort undergoing background LLT with ezetimibe monotherapy), which was significantly associated with a decrease in freshly isolated leukocytes (PBMCS)-derived H2O2 production (p-value = 0.004, p-value = 0.02 and p-value = 0.05, respectively, in the whole cohort, in the statin + ezetimibe sub-cohort, and the ezetimibe sub-cohort). Our observations support the role of systemic oxidative stress in atherosclerosis and give a further rationale for using Evolocumab also for its effect in vascular disorders linked to oxidative processes.

A simple and versatile continuous air-segmented flow sensor using immobilized luciferase was designed as a general miniaturized platform based on sensitive biochemiluminescence detection. The device uses miniaturized microperistaltic pumps to deliver flows and compact sensitive light imaging detectors based on BI-CMOS (smartphone camera) or CCD technology. The low-cost components and power supply make it suitable as out-lab device at point of need to monitor kinetic-related processes or ex vivo dynamic events. A nylon6 flat spiral carrying immobilized luciferase was placed in front of the detector in lensless mode using a fiber optic tapered faceplate. ATP was measured in samples collected by microdialysis from rat brain with detecting levels as low as 0.4 fmoles. The same immobilized luciferase was also used for the evaluation of bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity in intestinal microbiota. An aminoluciferin was conjugatated with chenodeoxycholic acid forming the amide derivative aLuc-CDCA. The hydrolysis of the aLuc-CDCA probe by BSH releases free uncaged aminoluciferin which is the active substrate for luciferase leading to light emission. This method can detect as low as 0.5 mM of aLuc-CDCA, so it can be used on real faecal human samples to study BSH activity and its modulation by diseases and drugs.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) "fermentates" confer a beneficial effect on intestinal function. However, the ability of new fermentations to improve LAB broth activity in preventing pathogen-induced intestinal inflammation and barrier dysfunction has not yet been studied. The objective of this study was to determine if broths of LAB fermented with Eruca sativa or Barbarea verna seed extracts prevent gut barrier dysfunction and interleukin-8 (CXCL8) release in vitro in human intestinal Caco-2 cells infected with enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7. LAB broths were assayed for their effects on EHEC growth and on Caco-2 viability; thereafter, their biological properties were analysed in a co-culture system consisting of EHEC and Caco-2 cells. Caco-2 cells infected with EHEC significantly increased CXCL8 release, and decreased Trans-Epithelial Electrical Resistance (TEER), a barrier-integrity marker. Notably, when Caco-2 cells were treated with LAB broth enriched with E. sativa seed extract and thereafter infected, both CXCL8 expression and epithelial dysfunction reduced compared to in untreated cells. These results underline the beneficial effect of broths from LAB fermented with E. sativa seed extracts in gut barrier and inflammation after EHEC infection and reveal that these LAB broths can be used as functional bioactive compounds to regulate intestinal function.

Background CPFA is an extracorporeal treatment used in severe sepsis to remove circulating proinflammatory cytokines. Limited evidence exists on the effectiveness of bilirubin adsorption by the hydrophobic styrenic resin, the distinctive part of CPFA. The aim of this study is to validate CPFA effectiveness in liver detoxification. Methods In this prospective observational study, we enrolled patients with acute or acute-on-chronic liver failure (serum total bilirubin > 20 mg/dL or MELD Score > 20) hospitalized from June 2013 to November 2017. CPFA was performed using the Lynda (Bellco/MedTronic, Mirandola, Italy) or the Amplya (Bellco/MedTronic, Mirandola, Italy) machines. Anticoagulation was provided with unfractionated heparin or citrate. Bilirubin and bile acids reduction ratios per session (RRs) were the main parameters for hepatic detoxification. Results Twelve patients with acute (n = 3) or acute-on-chronic (n = 9) liver failure were enrolled. Alcohol was the main cause of liver disease. Thirty-one CPFA treatments of 6 h each were performed, 19 with heparin and 12 with citrate. RRs was 28.8% (range 2.2–40.5) for total bilirubin, 32.7% (range 8.3–48.9) for direct bilirubin, 29.5% (range 6.5–65.4) for indirect bilirubin and 28.9% (16.7- 59.7) for bile acids. One patient received liver transplantation and 8/9 were alive at 1 year of follow-up. Three patients (25%) died: 2 during hospitalization and 1 for a cardiac event at 4 months of follow up with restored liver function. Conclusions CPFA resulted to be effective in liver detoxification. Thus, it may be considered as a “bridge technique” both to the liver transplant and to the recovery of the basal liver function.

The customization of disease treatment focused on genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors of individual patients, including tailored medical decisions and treatments, is identified as precision medicine.

To accurately diagnose COVID-19 infection and its time-dependent progression, the rapid, sensitive, and noninvasive determination of immunoglobulins A specific to SARS-CoV-2 (IgA) in saliva and serum is needed to complement tests that detect immunoglobulins G and M. We have developed a dual optical/chemiluminescence format of a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) immunosensor for IgA in serum and saliva. A recombinant nucleocapsid antigen specifically captures SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patient specimens. A labelled anti-human IgA reveals the bound IgA fraction. A dual colorimetric and chemiluminescence detection enables the affordable and ultrasensitive determination of IgA to SARS-CoV-2. Specifically, a simple smartphone-camera-based device measures the colour signal provided by nanogold-labelled anti-human IgA. For the ultrasensitive chemiluminescence transduction, we used a contact imaging portable device based on cooled CCD, and measured the light signal resulting from the reaction of the HRP-labelled anti-human IgA with a H2O2/luminol/enhancers substrate. A total of 25 serum and 9 saliva samples from infected and/or recovered individuals were analysed by the colorimetric LFIA, which was sensitive and reproducible enough for the semi-quantification of IgA in subjects with a strong serological response and in the early stage of COVID-19 infection. Switching to CL detection, the same immunosensor exhibited higher detection capability, revealing the presence of salivary IgA in infected individuals. For the patients included in the study (n = 4), the level of salivary IgA correlated with the time elapsed from diagnosis and with the severity of the disease. This IgA-LFIA immunosensor could be useful for noninvasively monitoring early immune responses to COVID-19 and for investigating the diagnostic/prognostic utility of salivary IgA in the context of large-scale screening to assess the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

The customization of disease treatment focused on genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors of individual patients, including tailored medical decisions and treatments, is identified as precision medicine. This approach involves the combination of various aspects such as the collection and processing of a large amount of data, the selection of optimized and personalized drug dosage for each patient and the development of selective and reliable analytical tools for the monitoring of clinical, genetic and environmental parameters. In this context, miniaturized, compact and ultrasensitive bioanalytical devices play a crucial role for achieving the goals of personalized medicine. In this review, the latest analytical technologies suitable for providing portable and easy-to-use diagnostic tools in clinical settings will be discussed, highlighting new opportunities arising from nanotechnologies, offering peculiar perspectives and opportunities for precision medicine.

Biosensor development exploiting various transduction principles is characterized by a strong competition to reach high detectability, portability and robustness. Nevertheless, a literature-based comparison is not possible, as different conditions are employed in each paper. Herein, we aim at evaluating which measurement, photons or electrons, yields better biosensor performance. Upon outlining an update in recent achievements to boost analytical performance, amperometry and chemiluminescence (CL)-based biosensors are directly compared employing the same biospecific reagents and analytical formats. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and hydrogen peroxide concentrations were directly measured, while glucose and mouse IgG were detected employing an enzyme paper-based biosensor and an immunosensor, respectively. Detectability was down to picomoles of hydrogen peroxide (4 pmol for CL and 210 pmol for amperometry) and zeptomoles of HRP (45 zmol for CL and 20 zmol for amperometry); IgG was detected down to 12 fM (CL) and 120 fM (amperometry), while glucose down to 17 mu M (CL) and 40 mu M (amperometry). Results showed that amperometric and CL biosensors offered similar detectability and analytical performance, with some peculiarities that suggest complementary application fields. As they generally provided slightly higher detectability and wider dynamic ranges, CL-based biosensors appear more suitable for point-of-care testing of clinical biomarkers, where detectability is crucial. Nevertheless, as high detectability in CL biosensors usually requires longer acquisition times, their rapidity will allocate electrochemical biosensors in real-time monitoring and wearable biosensors. The analytical challenge demonstrated that these biosensors have competitive and similar performance, and between photons and electrons the competition is still open.

Whole-cell biosensors present many advantages, including being able to monitor the toxicity and bioavailability of chemicals; cells grown in traditional 2D cultures, however, do not reproduce the complexity of in vivo physiology. In the last years, 3D cell-culture models have garnered great attention due to their capability to better mimic in vivo cellular responses to external stimuli, providing excellent model living organisms. In order to obtain a predictive, sensitive, and robust yet low-cost 3D cell biosensor, we developed a smartphone-based bioluminescent 3D cell biosensor platform for effect-based analysis. We exploited the Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NF-kB) signal transduction pathway, which is induced by several types of stressors and is involved in the regulation of cell-cycle/growth, inflammation, apoptosis, and immunity. The smartphone-based biosensor relies on immobilized HEK293 spheroids genetically engineered with powerful red- and green-emitting luciferases utilized as inflammation and viability reporters. It provides a limit of detection for Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNFα) of 0.15 ± 0.05 ng/mL and could be a useful tool to initially screen environmental samples or other compounds on-site, especially for additional more accurate chemical analyses.

Introduction: Achieving a Sustained Viral Response (SVR) after treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in patients with advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD. Currently, the long-term impact in terms of portal hypertension (PH)-driven complications is still under investigation. Indocyanine green retention test (ICG-r15′) is a non-invasive liver test (NIT) correlated with PH and proposed as a predictor of hepatic decompensation in patients with active HCV infection.

Point-of-care testing devices for companion diagnostic applications is a growing area in immunobiosensor technology. With the widespread diffusion of smartphones and improved enclosed photocamera technology, fast and accurate point-of-care diagnosis could be developed for delivering optical biosensing abilities to the general population. Herein, we propose a smartphone-based immunosensor employing a paper-based format coupled with thermochemiluminescence (TCL) detection, that was optimized for valproic acid (VPA) detection in blood and saliva samples. TCL is a chemical luminescence phenomenon in which photons are emitted upon thermally-induced fragmentation of a suitable molecule, with production of a moiety in its singlet electronically excited state. The latter emits a photon while decaying to its ground state. TCL peculiar characteristics combine high detectability and reagent-less nature of the measurement. A one-step competitive immunoassay for VPA detection based on vertical flow immunoassay (VFIA) format was developed, employing silica nanoparticles doped with a TCL 1,2-dioxetane derivative as a label. The VFIA sensor is a stack of paper-based layers functionalized with reagents stored in a stable form, allowing to complete the test in 12 min simply upon sample addition. By 3D printing, simple accessories were produced to turn a smartphone into a biosensing device that provides a power source for the heat shock required to trigger the TCL reaction and a sensitive camera for measuring emitted photons. The developed biosensor allowed VPA detection in blood and saliva, with limits of detection (4 and 0.05 mu g mL(-1) respectively) and dynamic ranges (4-300 and 0.05-20 mu g mL(-1)) suitable for therapeutic drug monitoring. The integrated device offers an innovative analytical platform for rapid one-step biosensors exploitable in a variety of point-of-care applications.

Background: Dietary supplements of Carica papaya Linn fermented with yeast using a biotechnological process have well recognized positive effects on immunological, hematological, inflammatory, and oxidative stress parameters, utilized as biomarkers of chronic and degenerative diseases. Although many natural products fermented with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have shown beneficial effects on the immune system and on antioxidant defenses, formulations of papaya fermented with LAB have not yet been studied.Aims: The aims of this study were to investigate the immunomodulatory activity linked to the type of papaya fermentation (yeast vs LAB) in macrophages and to evaluate whether the type of fermentation differently modulates oxidative stress both in cell free system and in a model of embryonic brain cells.Methods: Cytotoxicity was evaluated through cell proliferation kinetic and lactate dehydrogenase release assays; immunomodulatory activity through the transcriptional activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNFα) by qRT-PCR in RAW 264.7 macrophages; antioxidant capacity was assessed, in cell free system and in pheochromocytoma cells embryonic brain cells, by measuring the intracellular ROS levels through a fluorescent dye.Results: Our data showed that all the formulations studied are safe at low concentrations (3-6 mg/ml); the LAB- fermented formulations promoted the expression of iNOS and TNFα more efficiently than yeast-fermented papaya preparation (p <0.001). In a cell free system, the LAB-fermented formulation acted as mild scavengers of ROS while, in cells, both formulations didn’t show any significant effect.Conclusions: This study corroborates previous reports showing the efficacy of yeast fermented papaya as a potent immunostimulant and highlights the beneficial contribution of lactic bacteria fermentation.Keywords: papaya, lactic fermentation, immunostimulant activity, antioxidant activity

tration and serum HCO3->30mmol/L. Every 3 months (5 time points: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) HCO3-, Calcium (Ca 2þ) , Phosphorus (Pþ) and intact Parathyroid hormone (iPTH) blood levels were analyzed and hemodialysis HCO3was changed using the following rules: HCO3-> 30 mmol/L reduce 4 mmol/L HCO3prescription; HCO325 mmol/ L reduce 2 mmol/L HCO3prescription; 20 mmol/L<HCO3-< 25mmol/L no change; HCO320mmol/L increase 2 mmol/L HCO3-prescription; HCO3-< 18mmol/L increase 4 mmol/L HCO3prescription. Data collected comprised demographic information, renal disease etiology, hydration status by bioimpedance, comorbidities, HD treatment information and lab results. Statistical analysis was made using SPSS version 23 for Mac OS X. RESULTS: 34 patients: 61.8% males (n1⁄421), 44.1% (n1⁄415) diabetic and 64.7% (n1⁄422) hypertensives. At baseline, average pH was 7.3760.06 and HCO326.19 62.03mmol/L. At time point 5, pH was 7.3660.07 and HCO323.8761.93mmol/L.A repeated measures ANOVA with a Huyn-Feldt correction determined that HCO3prescription differed with statistical significance during time (p1⁄40.001) and that DM (p1⁄40.019), Hypertension (p1⁄40.004) and renal disease etiology (p1⁄40.004) influenced the prescription. Post hoc tests confirmed those assumptions. As expected, serum HCO3was influenced by time (p1⁄40.001).Baseline serum HCO3was not associated with demographics. A Spearman’s rank-order correlation was run and determined moderate negative correlations between HCO3and iPTH (rs1⁄4-0.49, p1⁄40.004) and nPCR (rs1⁄4-0.53, p1⁄40.001). The Pearson’s correlation run at the same time found a moderate negative correlation between HCO3and P þ (r1⁄4-0.49, p1⁄40.003) and a strong negative correlation with pre-HD urea (r1⁄4-0.59, p1⁄40.001).Using T-student test we observed that, at baseline, diabetic had lower HCO3(time point 1: t1⁄4-2.4, p1⁄40.022; time point 2: t1⁄4-2.2, p1⁄40.034), but with the changes in the HCO3prescription those differences disappear in time points 3, 4 and 5. Using a Pearson’s correlation, we determined a moderate negative correlation between overhydration (OH) and HCO3at time points 2 to 3 (r1⁄4-0.4, p1⁄40.029) and 4 to 5 (r1⁄4-0.4, p1⁄40.023). That was the only association with bioimpedance measurements that we found.

Background : Dietary supplements of Carica papaya Linn fermented with yeast using a biotechnological process have well recognized positive effects on immunological, hematological, inflammatory, and oxidative stress parameters, utilized as biomarkers of chronic and degenerative diseases (1). Although many natural products fermented with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have shown beneficial effects on the immune system, and for antioxidant defenses (2), formulations of papaya fermented with LAB have not yet been studied. Aims : The aim of this study was to investigate the immunomodulatory activity linked to the type of papaya fermentation (yeast vs LAB) in macrophages, and to evaluate whether the type of fermentation differently modulates oxidative stress both in cell free system and in a model of embryonic brain cells. Considering that the therapeutic potential is based on the combined action of different botanical drugs, the immunomodulatory and antioxidant activities of the LAB- fermented formulation of papaya added with red corn extract, rich in phenols and flavonoids (3) was also investigated. Methods : Cytotoxicity was evaluated: through cell proliferation kinetic and lactate dehydrogenase release assays, immunomodulatory activity through the transcriptional activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNFα) by qRT-PCR in RAW 264.7 macrophages (4, 5). Antioxidant capacity was measured with chemiluminescent and fluorescent method and intracellular ROS levels through a fluorescent dye in pheochromocytoma cells (6-8). Phenolics content was measured through Folin Ciocalteu method (9) and benzylisothiocyanate content was evaluated by gas-chromatography (10). Results : Our data indicated that all the formulations studied are safe at low concentrations (3-6 mg/ml); the LAB- fermented formulations promoted the expression of iNOS and TNFα more than yeast-fermented papaya preparation (p <0.001). In a cell free system, the LAB-fermented formulation acted as mild scavengers of ROS. While, in cells, only the preparation of LAB-fermented papaya containing red corn significantly decreased ROS level (p <0.001), at least in part due to the high polyphenols content. The concentration of benzylisothiocyanate detected was low in both the formulations; it could be conceived as a natural preservative of both papaya derived preparations according to recent literature (11). Conclusions : This study corroborates previous reports showing the efficacy of yeast -fermented papaya as a potent immunostimulant and highlights the beneficial contribution of lactic bacteria fermentation as well as the phenolics contained in red corn, supporting the prophylactic potentials of LAB -fermented papaya containing red corn extract. Keywords: papaya, lactic acid bacteria fermentation, antioxidant activity, immunomodulation. How to cite this abstract: Caliceti C., Fortini F., Aquila G., Pagnotta E., Ugolini L., Simoni P., Calabria D., Roda A., Rizzo P.; FFC’s 22 nd International Conference; Boston, MA, USA; Organized by FFC and BIDMC/ Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital; Volume 1; Supplement 1: 66-69