Endometrial expression of β3 integrin, calcitonin andplexin-B1 in the window of implantation in womenwith unexplained infertility

Background: Endometrial receptivity plays a key role in the establishment ofsuccessful implantation and its impairment may contribute to subfertility and limitthe assisted reproduction techniques (ART) success.Objective: The aim of present study was to investigate endometrial receptivity interms of β3 integrin, calcitonin and plexin-B1 expression in women withunexplained infertility.Materials and Methods: We evaluated expression of β3 integrin, calcitonin andplexin-B1 through mRNA level measurement with real-time RT-PCR, in theendometrium of 16 infertile patients with unexplained infertility and 10 fertilewomen. Endometrial biopsies were collected during a single menstrual cycle onpostovulatory day LH+7 in each subject.Results: Significant differences regarding β3 integrin and calcitonin expressionlevels found between patients with unexplained infertility and the fertile women.Endometrial plexin-B1 expression levels showed no significant difference betweenfertile and infertile women. There were significant correlations between expressionof β3 integrin with calcitonin and plexin-B1 in fertile and infertile women.Conclusion: Reduced in endometrial expression of β3 integrin and calcitonin aloneor together may contribute to unexplained infertility and these genes could accountas the potential molecular markers of infertility

Keywords:

Unexplained Infertility , Implantation , β3 integrin , Calcitonin , Plexin-B1