Assessment of leukemia inhibitory factor and glycoprotein 130 expression in endometrium and uterine flushing : a possible diagnostic tool for impaired fertility

Abstract EN

Background / Aim : uterine receptivity and implantation are complex processes requiring coordinated expression of molecules by the embryo and uterus during implantation.

This article focuses on the endometrial expression of ITF and its gpl30 receptor molecules and their secretion in uterine flushing during the window of implantation in cases of pry mar y unexplained infertility.

Patients & Methods : the study was conducted on25 infertile women with unexplained infertility for at least 2 years and 10 normal fertile women as a control group Endometrial tissue and uterine flushing were obtained, each tissue specimen was divided into two pieces; one piece was used for histological dating of the endometrium and used also for immunostaining of progesterone receptor, and the second piece was used for RNA extraction and PCR assay of LF and gpl30 mRNA expression Venous blood samples were collected from all women participating in the study for measurement of serum estrogen and progesterone.

Results : LIF mRNA was expressed in the endometrium of all formal fertile women but significantly decreased n infertile women.

LIF was not detectable in88 % of infertile women and fairly detectable in 12% of them.

Gpl 30 mRNA was hardly detectable in both fertile and infertile women with no difference between the two groups.

Infertile women secreted significantly less LIT and gpl30 molecules in the uterine flushing compared to normal fertile women.

Conclusion : expression of LIF mRNA in endometrium could be used as a molecular marker of unexplained infertility.

Assessment of secreted LIF and gpl30 molecules in uterine flushing could be another useful and safe method for predicting successful implantation as well as for diagnosing and eventually treating woo men with impaired fertility using recombinant human LIE.