CD38, a transmembrane glycoprotein with ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity, catalyses the formation of Ca2+ signalling molecules, but its role in the neuroendocrine system is unknown. Here we show that adult CD38 knockout (CD38-/-) female and male mice show marked defects in maternal nurturing and social behaviour, respectively, with higher locomotor activity. Consistently, the plasma level of oxytocin (OT), but not vasopressin, was strongly decreased in CD38-/- mice. Replacement of OT by subcutaneous injection or lentiviral-vector-mediated delivery of human CD38 in the hypothalamus rescued social memory and maternal care in CD38-/- mice. Depolarization-induced OT secretion and Ca2+ elevation in oxytocinergic neurohypophysial axon terminals were disrupted in CD38-/- mice; this was mimicked by CD38 metabolite antagonists in CD38+/+ mice. These results reveal that CD38 has a key role in neuropeptide release, thereby critically regulating maternal and social behaviours, and may be an element in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Impaired wound healing is one of the unsolved problems of modern medicine, affecting patients’ quality of life and causing serious economic losses. Impaired wound healing can manifest itself in the form of chronic skin wounds or hypertrophic scars. Research on the biology and physiology of skin wound healing disorders is actively continuing, but, unfortunately, a single understanding has not been developed. The attention of clinicians to the biological and physiological aspects of wound healing in the skin is necessary for the search for new and effective methods of prevention and treatment of its consequences. In addition, it is important to update knowledge about genetic and non-genetic factors predisposing to impaired wound healing in order to identify risk levels and develop personalized strategies for managing such patients. Wound healing is a very complex process involving several overlapping stages and involving many factors. This thematic review focuses on the extracellular matrix of the skin, in particular its role in wound healing. The authors analyzed the results of fundamental research in recent years, finding promising potential for their transition into real clinical practice.

Epilepsy is the fourth most prevalent brain disorder affecting millions of people of all ages. Epilepsy is divided into six categories different in etiology and molecular mechanisms; however, their common denominator is the inability to maintain ionic homeostasis. Antiepileptic drugs have a broad spectrum of action and high toxicity to the whole organism. In many cases, they could not penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and reach corresponding targets. Nucleic acid aptamers are a new and promising class of antiepileptic drugs as they are non-toxic, specific, and able to regulate the permeability of ion channels or inhibit inflammatory proteins. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms of epileptogenesis and its interconnection with the BBB and show the potential of aptamers for antiepileptic treatment.

Epilepsy is one of the most frequent neurological disorders. In these circumstances, more than 25% of the patients are women of reproductive age. The aim of our research was to analyze the effectiveness and safety of antiepileptic therapy in women with epilepsy during pregnancy and to analyze the pregnancies' outcomes. We included in our research 121 pregnancies of 101 women aged at the moment of childbearing about 26.9 ± 4.57 years old. Idiopathic forms of epilepsy were predominant among all causes-47.1% (р < 0.01). Of all cases, 65.4% remained seizure-free from generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS), including 69.6% of all idiopathic epilepsy cases and 68.6% among symptomatic ones. The antiepileptic drugs (AED) dosages were exceeding teratogenic level at the moment of conception in 54.7% of the cases. Worse control of epileptic seizures was associated with Benzobarbital (66.7%) and Lamotrigine (50.0%). Women with epilepsy did not receive specialized neurological therapy before conception in most cases, which leaded to the usage of AED teratogenic doses and less effectiveness of AED during pregnancy. It is necessary to plan the pregnancy and prescribe rational treatment for epilepsy starting at the stage of planning and during gestation in order to obtain a better seizures control and to decrease congenital disorders risk in fetus.