Expression of progesterone receptors is significantly impaired in the endometrium of infertile women during the implantation window: a prospective observational study

Abstract

Objective: To compare the expression of progesterone receptors (A + B) and type-B progesterone receptors in the epithelial and stromal cells of fertile and infertile women.

Methods: Women were divided into two groups, the group of fertile controls (group 1) and the group of infertile women (group 2) and were set on regular ultrasound imaging in order to detect ovulation. An endometrial biopsy was obtained on the seventh or eighth post-ovulatory day. Immunohistochemistry was performed to measure percentage of positive nuclei, intensity of staining and h-score for progesterone receptors (PgR) (A + B) as well as type-B progesterone receptors in epithelial and stromal cells. Secondary outcomes included endometrial tissue dating, the rate of tissues being out-of-phase and endometrial thickness.

Results: Endometrial issue was obtained from 15 fertile and 30 infertile women. Expression of PgR (A + B) and PgR type-B was significantly lower in the epithelial cells of infertile women. PgR (A + B) h-score was 220.0 ± 18.5 for fertile versus 147.3 ± 18.0 for infertile women (p = 0.02). PgR type-B h-score in epithelial cells was 166.8 ± 30.7 for fertile versus 90.8 ± 20.6 for infertile (p = 0.04). No significant difference was observed in stromal cells.

Conclusions: Expression levels of PgR (A + B) as well as type-B receptors are significantly lower in the epithelial cells of infertile women during implantation window.

Abstract Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26940759

Expression of progesterone receptors is significantly impaired in the endometrium of infertile women during the implantation window: a prospective observational study.
Petousis S, Prapas Y, Margioula-Siarkou C, Milias S, Ravanos K, Kalogiannidis I, Haitoglou C, Prapas N, Rousso D.
J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2016 Dec;29(23):3912-9. doi: 10.3109/14767058.2016.1152244. Epub 2016 Mar 3.
PMID: 26940759