Objective: To compare the expression of alpha6 and beta4 integrin subunit levels throughout the menstrual cycle in the endometrium of healthy women and infertile women.
Design: Prospective study.
Setting: An academic teaching hospital.
Patient(s): Endometrium was collected from 58 women, including healthy subjects (n = 28) and patients undergoing diagnostic testing for infertility (n = 30).
Intervention(s): Endometrial biopsies were performed throughout the menstrual cycle in healthy women and infertile women.
Main outcome measure(s): Immunohistochemical staining intensity of alpha6 and beta4 using the semiquantitative immunohistochemical score, compared using regression analysis and analysis of variance with Scheffé's correction.
Result(s): There was no correlation between menstrual cycle phase and endometrial integrin subunit alpha6 or beta4 on glandular or luminal epithelium. Even women with identified luteal phase defects had indistinguishable patterns of expression for these integrin subunits during the window of implantation.
Conclusion(s): The integrin subunits alpha6 and beta4 are expressed uniformly throughout the menstrual cycle on glandular and luminal epithelium. These integrins may have a housekeeping role in anchoring endometrial epithelium and do not appear to be useful markers of uterine receptivity.