The objective of this study was to compare the endometrial immune cells quantities and ratios during the mid-luteal phase between women with recurrent implantation failure (RIF) with successful and unsuccessful embryo implantation. For this purpose, endometrial biopsies from 116 women aged between 29 and 46 with history of RIF undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) without endometrial pathologies were immunohistochemically stained for CD3 + T-cells, CD4 + T-helpers, CD8 + T-killers, CD14 + monocytes, CD68 + macrophages, CD56 + NK cells and CD79α+ B-cells. Endometrial immune cells quantities and ratios were compared based on the embryo implantation outcome in the subsequent embryo transfer cycle. Spearman correlation analysis and Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyse the obtained data. Patients who experienced successful implantation at the subsequent cycle had significantly lower percentage of CD3 + T cells, and higher ratios of CD4 + /CD8 + , CD4 + /CD3 + and CD68 + /CD3 + than the patients who experienced another failure in implantation. In addition, the ratios of CD3 + /CD14 + , CD79α+ /CD14 + and CD56 + /CD14 + were significantly lower in the successful implantation group than that in the unsuccessful one. A cut off value of CD68 + /CD3 + ratio higher than 0.85 (AUC 0.67, 95% CI 0.56-0.79), CD4 + /CD3 + ratio higher than 0.19 (AUC 0.67, 95% CI 0.56-0.79) and CD4 + /CD8 + ratio higher than 0.43 (AUC 0.62, 95% CI 0.50-0.73) could be predictive factors for successful implantation in RIF patients. Knowledge on the immune cell composition could assist in the evaluation of the endometrial receptivity in RIF patients.
Keywords: Embryo implantation; Endometrium; Immune cells; Immunohistochemistry.
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