Low endometrial beta-catenin and cadherins expression patterns are predictive for primary infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss

Abstract

Inadequate uterine receptivity is responsible for two-third of implanting failures. Aim of the study was to investigate the role of epithelial adherence and tight-junction molecules expressed by human endometrium in predicting womens’ fertility outcome. A total of 76 consecutive women, including 24 fertile (G1), 40 primary infertile (G2), and 12 recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL, G3) women, who underwent diagnostic hysteroscopy plus endometrial biopsy between 2005 and 2016 at the Gynecology Division of Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, in Italy, were retrospectively identified and included into the study. Endometrial biopsies were assessed for the immunohistochemical expression of beta-catenin (β-catenin), E-cadherin and K-cadherin biomarkers. Expression profiles were compared between the three groups of patients and were correlated with patients’ fertility outcome. In infertile patients there was a significant lower endometrial expression of β-catenin (p = .001), E-cadherin (p = .001) and K-cadherin (p = .002), compared to the fertile ones. Furthermore, β-catenin and E-cadherin intensity gradients of expression at glandular level were found totally reversed in infertile patients. Significant lower expression levels of K-catenin (p = .016) and E-cadherin (p < .0001) at glandular level were found in RPL patients. Results showed that the low endometrial expression of β-catenin, E-cadherin and K-cadherin were associated to fertility-related problems, such as primary intertility and RPL.

摘要

子宫容受性不足是2/3的胚胎植入失败的原因。本研究的目的是探讨人类子宫内膜中上皮粘附和紧密连接分子的表达在预测妇女生育结局中的作用。回顾性研究2005-2016年间在意大利罗马萨皮恩萨大学圣安德里亚医院妇科进行诊断性宫腔镜检查加子宫内膜活检的76名女性, 其中包括24名可生育女性（G1）、40名原发性不孕女性（G2）和12名复发性流产女性（RPL, G3）。评估子宫内膜活检标本中的β-连环蛋白 (β-catenin)、E-钙粘蛋白和 K-钙粘蛋白生物标志物的免疫组化表达。比较三组患者的表达谱, 并与患者的生育结局进行相关性分析。与可生育女性比较, 不孕患者子宫内膜的β-连环蛋白（p=.001）, E-钙粘蛋白（p=.001）和K-钙粘蛋白（p=.002）的表达显著降低。而且, 在不孕患者中发现β-连环蛋白和E-钙粘蛋白在腺体水平的表达强度梯度完全相反。RPL患者在腺体水平的K-钙粘蛋白（p=.016）和 E-钙粘蛋白（p < .0001）的表达显著降低。结果显示, 子宫内膜 β-连环蛋白、E-钙粘蛋白和 K-钙粘蛋白的低表达与生育相关问题有关, 如原发性不孕和RPL。

The Chinese abstracts are translated by Prof. Dr. Xiangyan Ruan and her team: Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China.

Keywords:

• Infertility
• endometrium
• recurrent pregnancy loss
• beta-catenin
• cadherin

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.