BETA-1 INTEGRIN CELL-ADHESION MOLECULES IN THE ENDOMETRIUM OF FERTILEAND INFERTILE WOMEN

In order to investigate whether the endometrium of women with unexplai ned infertility differs immunologically from the endometrium of normal fertile women, a panel of six monoclonal antibodies was used to chara cterize the presence of the beta1-integrins or very-late-activation an tigens (VLA) in the different endometrial compartments. Precisely time d endometrial biopsies at 4, 7, 10 and 13 days following the luteinizi ng hormone surge were obtained from 24 normal fertile women (group I) and 24 women suffering from unexplained infertility (group II). Frozen sections were labelled using an avidin-biotin peroxidase technique. V LA-1, VLA-2 and VLA-3 were present in glandular epithelium, stromal ce lls and vessels of both groups. VLA-4 was detected in group I but was absent from glandular and surface epithelium of group II. VLA-5 was no t present in any of the specimens. VLA-6 was identified primarily in t he basement membrane of vessels, glandular and surface epithelium in b oth patient groups. This study indicates that most beta1-integrins are present in endometrium throughout the luteal phase of the menstrual c ycle. The differences observed between the two groups may contribute t o unexplained infertility.