Expression of alpha 1 and beta 3 integrins subunits in the endometrium of patients with tubal phimosis or hydrosalpinx.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the expression of alpha1 and beta3 integrin subunit on the endometrium of infertile patients with hydrosalpinx and infertile patients with tubal phimosis.
DESIGN: Case-control study.
SETTING: Tertiary medical center. PATIENT(S): Infertile patients with radiologic or laparoscopic diagnosis of hydrosalpinx (n = 11) or tubal phimosis (n = 12) as the only cause of infertility, and fertile controls (n = 17). INTERVENTION(S): Immunohistochemical analysis of alpha1 and beta3 integrin subunits was performed on endometrial biopsies obtained during the implantation window. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Histologic score (HSCORE) on luminal and glandular endometrium of the patients with hydrosalpinx or tubal phimosis and the normal fertile controls. RESULT(S): The median (+/-SEM) HSCORE for beta3 subunit expression in endometrial glands was 0.39 +/- 0.23 and 0.42 +/- 0.18 for tubal phimosis and hydrosalpinx, respectively, and 1.74 +/- 0.26 for fertile controls. The median HSCORE for beta3 subunit expression in luminal epithelium for tubal phimosis, hydrosalpinx, and fertile controls was 0.07 +/- 0.06, 0.21 +/- 0.18, and 1.03 +/- 0.31, respectively. No statistical difference was observed on the expression of alpha1 integrin subunit expression between the three groups. CONCLUSION(S): The endometrial expression of beta3 integrin subunit is reduced in the presence of tubal phimosis or hydrosalpinx, during the window of implantation.