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There is currently no comprehensive feed consumption database using a harmonised feed classification system. This means there is a lack of accurate information on the individual amount of feed consumed daily by farmed and companion animals. Such a database would support exposure assessments of feed. This report provides a complete overview of the main feed databases, their structure, and how feed materials are classified. It highlights their limits and potential and reports any differences from FoodEx2. A proposal for future updates of FoodEx2 and the development of a comprehensive feed consumption model database is provided. The proposed model database is based on three information areas represented by three Excel sheets. These represent Animal, Feed, and Consumption, allowing the determination of animal dietary exposure. A proof of concept of the developed model database was carried out by performing two case studies focused on genetically modified feed and feed contaminants. For genetically modified feed, a reduced animal dietary exposure was obtained compared to estimations reported in the scientific opinions and obtained using Excel calculators proposed by EFSA. For the contaminants in feed, differences were limited, resulting in slightly higher or lower exposure values. Weaknesses and possible mitigations are also addressed, and recommendations are made for a comprehensive feed consumption database. These include recommendations establishing an EU classification system in which the main features and items reported in the European Catalogue of Feed Materials are harmonised with FoodEx2. It is also recommended that real‐life animal consumption data are collected by the feed industry, animal nutritionists, breeders, and farmers, along with the collaboration of stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high number of varieties from corn (Zea mays L.) have been consumed for long time all over the world, however pigmented varieties are recently gaining renewed attention due to their beneficial effects and polyphenolic content. The natural lack of gluten makes corn suitable for consumption by celiac population, who need to control their inflammatory state through an appropriate gluten-free diet. The biological effects of polyphenols from pigmented corn are poorly investigated in the context of celiac disease. In this work, we analyzed through HPLC-DAD the phenolic composition of two Italian purple and red varieties ("Scagliolo Rosso" and "Rostrato di Rovetta", respectively) comparing their effects in human intestinal epithelial cells (CaCo-2 cells). The possible impact of gastro-intestinal digestion following oral consumption was assessed as well. The phenolic profile showed the presence of phenolic acids in both varieties, while anthocyanins were identified in Scagliolo Rosso only. After simulated digestion, the level of polyphenols did not significantly change and paralleled with an increased scavenging activity. In CaCo-2 cells, stimulated by a proinflammatory cocktail containing gliadin-derived peptides (IL-1β, IFN-γ, digested gliadin), pigmented corn extracts inhibited the release of CXCL-10 and sICAM-1, with mechanisms partially ascribed to NF-κB impairment. At the same concentration (200 μg/mL), ROS production and catalase depletion were reverted through Nrf-2-independent mechanisms. Our data suggest that polyphenols from pigmented corns might help in controlling the inflammatory and oxidative state of people with celiac disease at intestinal level, at concentrations potentially achievable through a gluten-free diet., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Pituitary cells that express the transcription factor SOX2 are stem cells because they can self-renew and differentiate into multiple pituitary hormone-producing cell types as organoids. Wounding and physiological challenges can activate pituitary stem cells, but cell numbers are not fully restored, and the ability to mobilize stem cells decreases with increasing age. The basis of these limitations is still unknown. The regulation of stem cell quiescence and activation involves many different signalling pathways, including those mediated by WNT, Hippo and several cytokines; more research is needed to understand the interactions between these pathways. Pituitary organoids can be formed from human or mouse embryonic stem cells, or from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Human pituitary organoid transplantation is sufficient to induce corticosterone release in hypophysectomized mice, raising the possibility of therapeutic applications. Today, pituitary organoids have the potential to assess the role of individual genes and genetic variants on hormone production ex vivo, providing an important tool for the advancement of exciting frontiers in pituitary stem cell biology and pituitary organogenesis. In this article, we provide an overview of notable discoveries in pituitary stem cell function and highlight important areas for future research., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease. To date, the only universally recognized treatment for CD is the gluten-free diet (GFD). Despite the GFD, a state of inflammation and oxidative stress could remain at the intestinal level of celiac patients. Several components of the diet, such as phenolic compounds with known antioxidant properties, could play a protective role in the inflammatory state of patients with CD. The objective of this study was the characterization of the phenolic profile and the antioxidant capacity of pigmented cereals (rice and corn) from the Italian market and farms. Different in vitro methods were applied: Folin-Ciocalteu assay, pH differential method, DPPH assay, TEAC assay, and High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography technique. According to the results, pigmented varieties are possible valuable sources of phenolic compounds and anthocyanins with high antioxidant activity. They could be used as alternative ingredients for the formulation of gluten-free products., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Introduction: The transcription factor GATA3 is involved in mammary gland development and is crucial for the maintenance of the differentiated status of luminal epithelial cells. The role of GATA3 in breast cancer as a tumor suppressor has been established, although insights into the mechanism of GATA3 expression loss are still required., Methods: Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays were conducted to study progestin modulation of recruitment of transcription factors to GATA3 promoter. We performed western blot and reverse RT-qPCR experiments to explore progestin regulation of GATA3 protein and mRNA expression respectively. Confocal microscopy and in vitro phosphorylation studies were conducted to examine progestin capacity to induce GATA3 serine phosphorylation in its 308 residue. GATA3 participation in progestin-induced breast cancer growth was addressed in in vitro proliferation and in vivo tumor growth experiments., Results: In this study, we demonstrate that progestin-activated progesterone receptor (PR) reduces GATA3 expression through regulation at the transcriptional and post-translational levels in breast cancer cells. In the former mechanism, the histone methyltransferase enhancer of zeste homolog 2 is co-recruited with activated PR to a putative progesterone response element in the GATA3 proximal promoter, increasing H3K27me3 levels and inducing chromatin compaction, resulting in decreased GATA3 mRNA levels. This transcriptional regulation is coupled with increased GATA3 protein turnover through progestin-induced GATA3 phosphorylation at serine 308 followed by 26S proteasome-mediated degradation. Both molecular mechanisms converge to accomplish decreased GATA3 expression levels in breast cancer cells upon PR activation. In addition, we demonstrated that decreased GATA3 levels are required for progestin-induced upregulation of cyclin A2, which mediates the G1 to S phase transition of the cell cycle and was reported to be associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer. Finally, we showed that downregulation of GATA3 is required for progestin stimulation of both in vitro cell proliferation and in vivo tumor growth., Conclusions: In the present study, we reveal that progestin-induced PR activation leads to loss of GATA3 expression in breast cancer cells through transcriptional and post-translational regulation. Importantly, we demonstrate that GATA3 downregulation is required for progestin-induced upregulation of cyclin A2 and for progestin-induced in vitro and in vivo breast cancer cell growth.

Background: The hope that pulmonary insulin will provide increased patient compliance and quality of life has created great interest in patients with diabetes, the medical community, and the general public. A pulmonary insulin product is becoming a reality with clinical trials indicating comparable glycemic control with no change in pulmonary function. However, the longterm effects of pulmonary insulin dosing are not known, and as more pulmonary formulations for insulin and other proteins are rapidly being developed the need for further safety data continues to grow., Methods: Using gene microarrays, we compared differences in the levels of mRNAs in the lung tissue of rats that were administered a subcutaneous injection or a pulmonary instillation of insulin, as well as rats receiving an pulmonary instillation of insulin and a drug delivery agent., Results: While the insulin doses achieved comparable blood glucose depression and serum insulin concentrations, 30 mRNAs were differentially regulated in response to pulmonary dosing, including 10 mRNAs associated with an immune response and four associated with the lung's response to injury, as well as ion channels and transcription factors. When disodium 8-((N-salicyloyl-2-amino-4-chloro)phenoxy)octanoate, a drug delivery agent known to facilitate pulmonary absorption, was instilled in combination with the pulmonary insulin dose, an attenuation of this response was observed., Conclusions: These findings suggest that undesirable effects of pulmonary dosing may be avoided by changes in formulation and that further evaluation of the effects of chronic pulmonary administration of insulin is warranted.