Expression pettern of Sex Hormone Receptors , Integrins , Cyclooxygenases ( COX ) in Human Endometrium During Menstrual Cycle

Yang, Hyun Won; Oh, Kie Suk; Kim, Sei Kwang; Kim, Young Ah; Joo, Hee Jae; Ryu, Hee Sug; Kwon, Hyuck Chan; Kim, Jin Yeong; Lee, Young Don; Cho, Dong Jae

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: Tissues were obtained from the endometrium of the posterior hmdus in 42 women (proliferative phase-25 cases, secretory phase-17 cases) with normal menstrual cycles(28-32days interval). The specimens were stained with H&E stain and classified according to the method by Noyes et al(1950) into early proliferative phase(-5~-10days from ovulation), late proliferative phase(-4days~ovulation), early secretory phase (ovulation ~5days), mid-secretory phase(6~10days from ovulation), and late secretory phase(11-14days from ovulation). Immunohistochemical staining of integrin a1, a4, b3, COX-1,-2, ER, PR expression was performed. RESULT: The expression of ER was high in the proliferative phase and low during the secretory phase. The late proliferative phase showed the highest intensity(p<0.05). On the other hand, the expression of PR in stromal cells was relatively uniform during the entire menstrual cycle. However, in epithelial cells, there was a characteristic peak intensity in the late proliferative phase and low intensity in the secretory phase.The expression of integrin a1, a4, b3 in epithelial cells showed no particular pattern in the proliferative phase but showed specific findings in the secretory phase. In the epithelial cells, the intensity of a I staining was increased after the early proliferative phase and sustained during the whole secretory phase(p<0.05), a4 was increased in the early and mid-secretory phases, b3 was increased in the mid-secretory phase to late secretory phase. But the strumal cells were weakly expressed in the whole menstrual cycle but showed no particular pattern, In glandular epithelial cells and stromal cells, COX-1 showed a cyclic pattem according to menstrual cycle; it was strongly expressed in the mid-secretory phase in glandular epithelial cells and mid-secretory and menstrual phase in stromal cells(p<0.05). But in luminal epithelial cells, COX-1 was expressed in the entire menstrual cycle but had no particular pattern. In glandular epithelial cells, stromal cells, and luminal epithelial cells, COX-2 was not expressed during the secretory phase but strongly expressed in the mid-secretory phase(p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
The expression of a1, a4, b3, and COX-2 showed as stonng staining during the mid secretory phase which represents the implantation period. The PR expression in epitbelial cells was decreased during same period. These characteristic findings will provide helpful information far histological methods of endormetrial dating and will be useful in the measurement of endometrial maturation during the implantation period.