AccScience Publishing / EJMO / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/EJMO026160177
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Effects of redox modulation on postprandial oxy-inflammatory transcriptomic responses in overweight adults with cardiometabolic risk following a Mediterranean diet

Roberto Catanzaro1 ,  Leila Haghshenas2,3 ,  Ece Celik Atalay4 ,  Gulcin Sagdicoglu Celep5 ,  Aldo Lorenzetti2 ,  Reza Rastmanesh2,6 ,  Cristiana Aperio2 ,  Maki Osato7 ,  Joseph Cervi2 ,  Francesco Marotta2*
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1 Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
2 Regenera International R&D for Aging Intervention, Milano, Italy
3 Department of Clinical Bioinformatics, Postdoctoral Association, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States of America
4 Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Istanbul Aydın University, Istanbul, Turkiye
5 Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkiye
6 The Nutrition Society, London, United Kingdom
7 Osato International Research of Molecular Biology, Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan
EJMO, 026160177 https://doi.org/10.36922/EJMO026160177
Received: 15 April 2026 | Revised: 8 June 2026 | Accepted: 11 June 2026 | Published online: 20 August 2026
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Introduction: The postprandial phase represents a transient pro-oxidative condition, characterized by an increased vulnerability to oxidative damage following nutrient intake. This state is increasingly recognized as a contributing factor in the early development of atherogenic processes. Alterations in plasma cysteine and glutathione (GSH) redox couples have been shown to correlate with aging and age-related pathologies. Among the principal thiol redox systems regulating plasma redox potential, the reduced cysteine/cystine (CySS) pair predominates, followed by the GSH/oxidized GSH disulfide pair. CySS is considered a marker of systemic oxidative burden, whereas GSH reflects intracellular NADPH-dependent reductive capacity.

Objective: This study aimed to assess both intra- and extracellular redox status during the postprandial period in middle-aged and older sedentary individuals adhering to a Mediterranean dietary pattern, with or without supplementation using a patented fermented papaya preparation (FPP).

Methods: A total of 90 otherwise healthy participants presenting at least one cardiometabolic risk factor were enrolled. Postprandial assessments were conducted at baseline and after three months. Evaluated parameters included inflammatory biomarkers, adhesion molecules, apoptosis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and p53 gene expression.

Results: Compared with the Mediterranean diet alone, three months of FPP supplementation resulted in significant reductions in soluble levels of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 and intercellular adhesion molecule 1. It also effectively prevented the postprandial increase in Annexin V⁺/DAPI⁺ cells and induced a protective downregulation of p53 expression, particularly within the cytoplasmic compartment. Furthermore, CySS concentrations and the CySS:GSH ratio were significantly reduced, while the decline in GSH levels was attenuated under the FPP-supplemented regimen.

Conclusion: These findings support the potential benefit of dietary interventions, particularly when combined with redox-modulating nutraceuticals, in reducing postprandial oxidative stress and its associated metabolically deleterious effects.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Postprandial metabolomics
Mediterranean diet
Fermented papaya preparation
Soluble adhesion molecules
p53
Reduced cysteine/cystine/glutathione
Funding
Dr. Maki Osato runs a lab supported by the Osato International Foundation as part of its not-for-profit social and cultural initiatives and receives no benefits from commercial activities.
Conflict of interest
M. Osato is affiliated with Osato International Research of Molecular Biology, which is associated with the fermented papaya preparation evaluated in this study. The remaining authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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Eurasian Journal of Medicine and Oncology, Electronic ISSN: 2587-196X Print ISSN: 2587-2400, Published by AccScience Publishing
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