Abstract:
The aim of this study was to investigate whether the
endometrium of women with unexplained infertility differs in the presence
of the beta 3 (β3) integrin molecule from the endometrium of normal
fertile women. In a retrospective case-control study 30 endometrial biopsies
from hysterectomies with nonendometrial pathology and 30 endometrial samples
from women with a history of unexplained infertility were collected during
the window of implantation. Immunohistochemically staining with a monoclonal
antibody against β3 integrin subunit in endometrial biopsies was
performed and then assessed semiquantitively by microscope on different
endometrial compartments including glandular epithelial cells, vessels,
lymphocytes, macrophages and stromal cells. Chi-square test was used to
compare the expression and defect of β3 integrin subunit between
two groups. The results showed that β3 integrin molecules were present
in fertile and infertile endometrial uterine tissues. The majority of
glandular epithelial cells expressed β3 integrin in fertile endometrium.
However, the endometrial expression of β3 integrin was reduced significantly
in infertile endometrium during the window of implantation (p<0.05).
A few numbers of vessels and stromal cells expressed β3 integrin
molecule with no statistical significance between the two groups. In conclusion
Abnormal endometrial integrin expression is a frequent finding in women
with unexplained infertility. A therapeutic potential approach in improving
uterine endometrium receptivity together with up-regulation of β3
integrin in this population of women suggested.
M. Ghafourian Boroujerdnia and R. Nikbakht, 2008. Beta3 Integrin Expression within Uterine Endometrium and its Relationship
with Unexplained Infertility. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 11: 2495-2499.
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