Breast cancer is the most common and deadliest cancer among women. While overexpression of specific markers guides disease stratification and has enabled the development of targeted therapies, identifying new therapeutic targets remains critical, particularly for aggressive subtypes lacking effective treatments. This study evaluated the expression of α-Lactalbumin (LALBA) and nucleolin (NCL) in breast cancer tissues from Mexican patients using gene expression analysis and immunohistochemistry. LALBA, a major milk protein normally expressed only during late pregnancy and lactation, was detected in nearly all tumor samples and showed higher levels in aggressive subtypes, with overexpression displaying a slight trend toward poorer overall survival. NCL, a multifunctional nucleolar protein, exhibited predominantly nuclear localization, with moderate expression associated with improved survival. Both proteins correlated with tumor immune features, including increased tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and PD-L1 expression for LALBA, and elevated CD8+ T cells, PD-L1, and TIM-3 expression for NCL. Overall, these findings suggest that LALBA and NCL are associated with tumor aggressiveness, immune context, and survival trends in breast cancer. Additional studies in larger cohorts are needed to define their clinical relevance.

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis is postulated to influence early-life adipocyte activity and lipolysis. We investigated whether IGF-1 and IGF-binding proteins (IGFBP-2, IGFBP-3) are associated with the lipids of healthy toddlers. Data were collected during the Toddler Milk Intervention trial to test the effect of milk protein on growth in the second year of life in Germany and Spain. Any blood values for IGF-1, IGFBP-2, IGFBP-3, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) were available at 12 and 24 months from 881 to 775 toddlers, respectively. These blood parameters were available from 444 children at both time points. Mixed intercept linear models adjusted for sex, fasting duration, country, and body mass index (BMI) were used to assess the associations between the IGF axis and lipids. BMI was 17.0 ± 1.4kg/m2 (M ± SD) at 12 months. IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-2 levels were 75.9 ± 36.1 ng/ml, 2630.3 ± 638.4 ng/ml and 575.5 ± 245.6 ng/ml, respectively; the mean LDL-C, HDL-C, TC and TG levels were 80.5 ± 22.9mg/dl, 42.2 ± 10.9mg/dl, 141.7 ± 25.5mg/dl and 101.2 ± 58.9mg/dl, respectively. While the IGFBP-2 and TG levels were higher at 12 months (p < 0.001) compared to 24 months, all other parameters were lower (p < 0.05). IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were weakly positively associated with LDL-C, HDL-C and TC, whereas IGFBP-2 was weakly negatively associated with LDL-C, HDL-C and TC. The IGF axis is weakly associated with circulating lipids. IGF-1 and its binding proteins seem to have a limited impact on lipid profiles of toddlers. Clinical trial registration number: NCT02907502, 26.04.2016.

Decipheringsynergistic interactions between Curcumin, Piperine, and milk proteins using accurate theoretical methods.

Recent advances in the application of polysaccharides to enhance the functional properties and extend the shelf life of milk proteins: A review.

Effect of composition and processing method on physicochemical, structural, and rheological characteristics of milk and pea proteins hybrid gels.

Quantifying production responses to the supplementation of chromium in lactating dairy cattle.

Preparations, characterizations, assembly behaviors, applications, and perspectives of whey protein amyloid fibrils: A review.

Comparison of spiral wound and hollow Fiber microfiltration membranes for milk protein fractionation

Broflanilide impairs cell viability and milk protein secretion in mammary epithelial cells by regulating Akt/mTOR and STAT5 signaling.

Physical properties and microstructure of hybrid processed cheeses formulated with plant protein and milk protein ingredients

Interactions and mechanisms in iron-fortified skim milk: Physicochemical properties, calcium bioavailability, and cellular responses.

Cow's milk is one of the most widely consumed foods worldwide due to its high nutritional value and rich content of biologically beneficial proteins. However, aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), a mycotoxin recognized for its carcinogenic potential, has been detected in milk, where it can bind to proteins. This study compared three methods for extracting AFM1 from commercial milk samples before and after enzymatic digestion with pepsin and pancreatin. Initial AFM1 concentrations and those following in vitro enzymatic digestion were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Extraction method 3 proved the most effective, combining acetonitrile with ultrasound-assisted extraction. AFM1 was detected in all milk samples at concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 12 μg L-1, exceeding national (0.5 μg L-1) and international (0.05 μg L-1) regulatory limits. Enzymatic digestion increased AFM1 levels 3.66-fold in four liquid milk samples, suggesting that raw milk measurements might underestimate consumer exposure. Thus, evaluating AFM1 bioaccessibility is essential for accurate toxicological risk assessment of milk and dairy products. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Collagen peptides increase curcumin bioaccessibility in milk protein-stabilized emulsions by increasing mixed micelle solubilization capacity.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common condition in infants below 1 year of age. Symptoms include frequent regurgitation, failure to thrive, food refusal, irritability, and back arching. While many infants experience some degree of physiological reflux, persistent or severe symptoms may indicate GERD. One important underlying cause of GERD in infants is allergy to cow's milk protein. Current international guidelines recommend a trial of a cow's milk protein-free diet prior to initiating medical therapy with a proton-pump inhibitor. However, the efficacy of both the diet and the medication remains insufficiently studied. With only a few randomized trials available, further evidence is needed to ensure infants receive the most appropriate treatment. This protocol describes a multicentre, randomized placebo-controlled trial, enrolling 96 infants with a clinical diagnosis of GERD at 3 paediatric centres in Southern Denmark. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to one of three parallel groups: (1) A diet group receiving a cow's milk protein-free diet, (2) a medicine group treated with a proton-pump inhibitor, and (3) a control group receiving a placebo medicine. Both the PPI group and the control group will be blinded to the allocation and will continue a diet containing cow's milk protein. The intervention period is 4 weeks. The primary outcome is the reduction in the number of regurgitation episodes. Secondary outcomes include weight gain and reduction in GERD-related symptoms. Symptom data will be reported by parents using a digital application, and specific IgE to cow's milk protein will be quantified in all participants. Infants in the diet group who respond positively will undergo an oral milk challenge to confirm allergy to cow's milk protein. This trial is designed to provide evidence on the efficacy of a cow's milk protein-free diet and proton-pump inhibitor therapy for infant GERD. Both interventions are evaluated against a control group, ensuring that any improvement exceeds the natural course of symptom resolution over time. The findings will provide valuable insights to guide clinical practice and enhance treatment strategies for infant GERD, a condition with a substantial impact on infant health and family well-being. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06255886. Registered on February 13, 2024. eu EU-CT: 2022-502770-16-00. Registered on November 4, 2024.

The confirmatory factor analysis technique was used to quantify a latent variable for test-day lactation performance (TDLP) in the first parity of Chinese Holstein dairy cows by applying five measurable traits, including test-day milk yield (TDMY), test-day milk fat percentage (TDFP), test-day milk protein percentage (TDPP), test-day somatic cell score (TDSCS) and test-day milk urea nitrogen (TDMUN). The standardised factor loadings of TDMY, TDFP, TDPP, TDSCS, and TDMUN for describing TDLP were 0.46, -0.52, -0.70, -0.14 and -0.19, respectively. Genetic analysis was conducted using a multivariate repeatability model within a Bayesian framework. The posterior means for the heritability and repeatability estimates of TDLP were 0.26±0.02 and 0.34±0.02, respectively. In general, posterior means for heritability and repeatability estimates of the measurable traits were low to medium. The heritability estimates ranged from 0.05 for TDSCS to 0.28 for TDPP, and repeatability estimates ranged from 0.15 for TDMUN to 0.38 for TDMY. The latent variable of TDLP exhibited positive genetic (0.62) and phenotypic (0.40) correlations with TDMY, whereas its genetic and phenotypic correlations with other measurable traits were negative, ranging from -0.96 (TDLP-TDPP) to -0.11 (TDLP-TDSCS). The corresponding phenotypic correlations ranged from -0.85 (TDLP-TDPP) to -0.07 (TDLP-TDSCS). It may be concluded that breeding for higher TDLP might increase TDMY but could reduce milk composition traits. In general, the negative genetic and phenotypic correlations suggest a trade-off between milk quantity (yield) and quality (composition).

Milk proteins are valuable raw materials for obtaining protein hydrolysates and active peptides formed during hydrolysis. Various proteolytic enzymes and bacteria are most often used for hydrolysis. Important parameters for regulating the degree of protein hydrolysis are duration, temperature of hydrolysis and concentration of a biological agent. The aim of the study was to establish optimum parameters for casein hydrolysis with chymotrypsin and bacterial starter of acidophilus bacillus. A three-factor experiment was used to determine optimum conditions for the hydrolysis process. Three factors were varied during the experiment: hydrolysis time (from 6 to 26 h) with a step of 10 h; temperature (from 32 to 42 °C) with a step of 5 °C; starter amount (from 0.5 to 1.5 %) with a step of 0.5 %. The dependent variable was the degree of hydrolysis. The content of total nitrogen in casein was determined by the Kjeldahl method, and that of amine nitrogen was determined by formol titration. The influence of independent variables on the dependent variable was analyzed using MathCAD, where response surfaces were also constructed. For the obtained multiple regression equations, the authors determined the reliability of the equation by the determination coefficient ( R 2) and Fisher’s criterion ( Fkr ), and the statistical significance of the parameters of the multiple regression equation by the Student’s criterion ( t ). Two regression equations were obtained for the process of casein hydrolysis with chymotrypsin and bacterial starter. Determination coefficients were established, confirming the high significance of the models. Response surfaces were constructed showing the dependence of the hydrolysis degree on the hydrolysis parameters. The optimum parameters of hydrolysis with the enzyme chymotrypsin and acidophilus starter were established. For example, when using chymotrypsin with a hydrolysis duration of 21.99 h, a temperature of 43.3 °C, and an enzyme amount of 0.02 %, the hydrolysis degree will be 28.6 % and when using acidophilus starter with a hydrolysis duration of 31.1 h, a temperature of 35.8 °C, and an amount of starter of 1.5 %, the hydrolysis degree will be 17.33 %.) Thus, the results of the multifactorial experiment made it possible to establish the optimum hydrolysis parameters for obtaining casein hydrolysates with chymotrypsin and acidophilus starter.

This study investigated heat-induced protein aggregation in skim camel milk by monitoring changes in the volume-weighted mean particle size (d4,3) during isothermal heating (60–90 °C, up to 60 min, four temperature levels and 25 time–temperature conditions). Pronounced increases in d4,3 with both time and temperature confirmed significant thermal aggregation. The reaction kinetics were described using a generalized exponential growth model, which fitted well at intermediate temperatures (e.g., coefficient of determination (R2) = 0.901 at 70 °C and 0.959 at 80 °C) but deviated at the lower (60 °C) and upper (90 °C) extremes, reflecting more complex behavior. Arrhenius analysis of the rate constant yielded an activation energy of 50.61 kJ mol−1, lower than values typically reported for bovine milk systems, indicating that camel milk proteins require less thermal input to aggregate. In parallel, a machine learning model implemented as an artificial neural network (ANN) predicted d4,3 from time-temperature inputs with high accuracy (R2 &gt; 0.97 across training, validation, and testing), capturing nonlinear patterns without mechanistic assumptions. Together, the kinetic and ANN approaches provide complementary insights into the heat sensitivity of camel milk proteins and offer predictive tools to support the optimization of thermal processing, formulation, and quality control in dairy applications.

Spontaneous Right Thalamic Hemorrhage With Intraventricular Extension in a Two-Month-Old Preterm Infant Initially Suspected of Having Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy

The periparturient period in mares is metabolically demanding and requires optimal nutrition to support maternal health and fetal development. Vitamin D 3 , particularly its metabolite 25(OH)D 3 , plays crucial roles beyond bone health, including immune and antioxidant functions. This study investigated the effects of supplementing pregnant and lactating mares with 25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 (25(OH)D 3 ) at a dose of 120,000 IU/day during late gestation and early lactation. Twelve Yili horses were randomly divided into two groups of six, matched by gestation and foaling date. One group received a standard diet, while the other was supplemented with 120,000 IU/day of 25(OH)D 3 for 60 days (30 days before and 30 days after birth). Serum and milk samples were collected at the start and midpoint (days 0 and 30) for analysis of 25(OH)D 3 , mineral concentrations (calcium and phosphorus), proteins, lipids, antioxidants, immunoglobulins, and cytokine levels. The supplementation significantly elevated serum and milk concentrations of 25(OH)D 3 , calcium, phosphorus, glucose, total protein, and globulin, whereas bilirubin levels diminished in both mares and foals ( P &amp;lt; 0.05). In supplemented mares, milk fat percentage, protein content, and immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgG, and IgM) were elevated ( P &amp;lt; 0.05). Improvements were observed in immunoglobulin levels, inflammatory markers, and antioxidant capacity in the supplemented group ( P &amp;lt; 0.05). In conclusion, 25(OH)D 3 supplementation in pregnant and lactating mares enhanced serum and milk nutrient levels, decreased bilirubin levels, and increased immunoglobulin levels. It also boosted antioxidant capacity and immunoglobulin levels and reduced cytokine levels in both mares and foals.

Clinical experience on the use of formulas for cow's milk protein allergy in Pediatric consultations