Surgical treatment for hydrosalpinx increases the expression of integrin αvβ3 in the endometrium during the implantation window

Abstract

To investigate the clinical importance of increased integrin αvβ3 expression in the endometrium following the surgical treatment for hydrosalpinx, a total of 60 patients with hydrosalpinx and 30 patients with fallopian tube obstruction were recruited. In the implantation window, immunohistochemistry was performed to detect integrin αvβ3 expression in the endometrium of the hydrosalpinx patients before and after surgery and of patients with fallopian tube obstruction. In the implantation window, integrin αvβ3 expression levels in the endometrium of hydrosalpinx patients before surgery were significantly lower compared to those in patients with fallopian tube obstruction (P<0.05). However, there were no marked differences in integrin αvβ3 expression in the implantation window between hydrosalpinx patients after surgical intervention and patients with fallopian tube obstruction (P>0.05). Furthermore, for patients with hydrosalpinx, integrin αvβ3 expression levels in the implantation window were dramatically increased after surgery (P<0.05). Hydrosalpinx decreases integrin αvβ3 expression in the endometrium in the implantation window, and integrin αvβ3 may be an important factor influencing the endometrial receptivity of hydrosalpinx patients. Surgical treatment for hydrosalpinx can improve integrin αvβ3 expression in the endometrium during implantation.

Figure 1

Expression of endometrial integrin αvβ3 in (A) hydrosalpinx patients before surgery, (B) hydrosalpinx patients after surgery and (C) fallopian tube obstruction patients after surgery (immunohistochemistry; magnification, ×400).