Publications by authors named "Barbara Stefanska"

Scope: Polyphenols from the phytoestrogen group, including pterostilbene (PTS), are known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. In recent reports, phytoestrogens attenuate age-related diseases; however, their pro-longevity effects in healthy models in mammals remain unknown. As longevity research demonstrates age-related transcriptomic signatures in human blood, the current study hypothesizes that phytoestrogen-supplemented diet may induce changes in gene expression that ultimately confer pro-longevity benefits.

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  • This study examined how heat stress, measured by the temperature-humidity index (THI), during the close-up dry period affects dairy cows' milk production, fertility, and blood health in their next lactation.
  • Higher THI values before calving led to decreased milk yield and adverse fertility issues, like delays in estrus and longer calving intervals, which could jeopardize overall reproductive efficiency.
  • The findings suggest the need for improved herd management and climate control in barns before calving to reduce heat stress-related negative effects on dairy cows.
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  • Natural products (NPs) are important for drug development due to their bioactive compounds, and recent tech advancements have increased research and publications in this field.
  • The editorial reviews key points from the 2020 practical guide of the British Journal of Pharmacology (BJP), which sets standards for natural products research reports and includes relevant papers from 2020 to 2023.
  • The discussion looks forward to using chemical proteomics to understand how natural products work and to find new therapeutic targets, aiming to drive innovation and improve healthcare through novel therapeutics.
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In 2023, seventy novel drugs received market authorization for the first time in either Europe (by the EMA and the MHRA) or in the United States (by the FDA). Confirming a steady recent trend, more than half of these drugs target rare diseases or intractable forms of cancer. Thirty drugs are categorized as "first-in-class" (FIC), illustrating the quality of research and innovation that drives new chemical entity discovery and development.

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The crosstalk between oncogenic signaling pathways plays a crucial role in driving cancer development. We previously demonstrated that dietary polyphenols, specifically resveratrol (RSV) and other stilbenoids, epigenetically target oncogenes for silencing via DNA hypermethylation in breast cancer. In the present study, we identify signal transduction regulators among RSV-hypermethylated targets and investigate the functional role of RSV-mediated DNA hypermethylation in the regulation of Hedgehog and Wnt signaling.

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Previously, our research provided evidence that exposure of gastric and colon cancer cells to extracts from iodine-biofortified lettuce leads to a reduction of cell viability and proliferation through cell cycle arrest and upregulation of pro-apoptotic genes. The aim of the present study was to determine the potential cellular mechanisms of induction of cell death in human gastrointestinal cancer cell lines after treatment with iodine-biofortified lettuce. We demonstrated that extracts from lettuce enriched with iodine induce apoptosis in gastric AGS and colon HT-29 cancer cells and the mechanism of programmed cell death may be triggered and executed through different signaling pathways, depending on the type of cells.

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Scientists who plan to publish in the British Journal of Pharmacology (BJP) should read this article before undertaking studies utilising anaesthetics in mammalian animals. This editorial identifies certain gaps in the reporting of details on the use of anaesthetics in animal research studies published in the BJP. The editorial also provides guidance, based upon current best practices, for performing in vivo experiments that require anaesthesia.

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Considering the growing number of cancer cases around the world, natural products from the diet that exhibit potential antitumor properties are of interest. Our previous research demonstrated that fortification with iodine compounds is an effective way to improve the antioxidant potential of lettuce. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of iodine-biofortified lettuce on antitumor properties in human gastrointestinal cancer cell lines, gastric AGS and colon HT-29.

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Kisspeptin, produced from the brain and peripheral tissues, may constitute an important link in metabolic regulation in response to external cues, such as diet. The kisspeptin system is well described in the brain. However, its function and regulation in the peripheral tissues, especially in relation to metabolic disease and sex differences, remain to be elucidated.

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Scientists who plan to publish in British Journal of Pharmacology (BJP) must read this article before undertaking a study. This editorial provides guidance for the design of experiments. We have published previously two guidance documents on experimental design and analysis (Curtis et al.

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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is mostly triggered by environmental and life-style factors and may involve epigenetic aberrations. However, a comprehensive documentation of the link between the dysregulated epigenome, transcriptome, and liver carcinogenesis is lacking. In the present study, Fischer-344 rats were fed a choline-deficient (CDAA, cancer group) or choline-sufficient (CSAA, healthy group) L-amino acid-defined diet.

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Background: This study aimed to evaluate whether different methods of providing eubiotic feed additives to neonatal calves, during the preweaning period, can improve the calves' health, performance, ruminal fermentation, and metabolic status. Forty-four (3-day-old) Holstein-Friesian dairy calves (22 female and 22 male) were divided into four treatment groups for the duration of the 8-week trial. The eubiotic feed additive consisted of a combination of probiotic Lactobacillus spp.

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Epigenetic aberrations are linked to sporadic breast cancer. Interestingly, certain dietary polyphenols with anti-cancer effects, such as pterostilbene (PTS), have been shown to regulate gene expression by altering epigenetic patterns. Our group has proposed the involvement of DNA methylation and DNA methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B) as vital players in PTS-mediated suppression of candidate oncogenes and suggested a role of enhancers as target regions.

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Transcription factor (TF)-mediated regulation of genes is often disrupted during carcinogenesis. The DNA methylation state of TF-binding sites may dictate transcriptional activity of corresponding genes. Stilbenoid polyphenols, such as pterostilbene (PTS), have been shown to exert anticancer action by remodeling DNA methylation and gene expression.

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The study attempted to estimate the lactation curves of primiparous dairy cows in relation to their feeding management. Therefore, the first aim of the study was to determine and compare the lactation curves of primiparous dairy cows using Wood's model and to estimate the association between the lactation curves and feeding management. The second objective was to investigate the effect of the culling rate on improvement in the milk yield of primiparous dairy herds.

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The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the inclusion of chopped straw into a diet with pelleted starter feed on starter intake, growth performance, fermentation and blood metabolites of dairy calves during the pre- and post-weaning periods. Forty-four Holstein-Friesian female dairy calves were randomly assigned to four treatments: control (CON, starter without straw; n = 11), low straw (LS, starter feed containing 10% dry matter basis straw; n = 11), medium straw (MS, starter feed containing 15% dry matter basis straw; n = 11) and high straw (HS, starter feed containing 20% dry matter basis straw; n = 11). Starter intake and total dry matter intake were recorded daily, and bodyweight weekly until 84 days of age.

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Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer unresponsive to traditional receptor-targeted treatments, leading to a disproportionate number of deaths. Invasive breast cancer is believed to evolve from non-invasive ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Detection of triple-negative DCIS (TN-DCIS) is challenging, therefore strategies to study molecular events governing progression of pre-invasive TN-DCIS to invasive TNBC are needed.

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