Integrin pattern in human endometrium--new diagnostic tool in pelvic endometriosis?

The only possibility to diagnose peritoneal endometriosis is laparoscopy or laparotomy with tissue sampling for histology. Women with impalpable endometriosis not visible on ultrasound suffering from infertility or teenagers with pelvic pain, where endometriosis may also be expected, would greatly benefit from an inoperative diagnostic method. A sure and comfortable method of assessing the effectiveness of endometriosis treatment does not exist. The aim of the study was description of the alpha 3 beta 1, alpha 4 beta 1 integrins and beta 1 chain expression in endometrial biopsies in women suffering from endometriosis.

Laparoscopy and hysteroscopy was performed in 32 patients because of infertility (n = 23) and/or pelvic pain (n = 11). For histochemical stainings of endometrial biopsy primary and secondary mouse antibodies to human integrins alpha 3 beta 1, alpha 4 beta 1 and beta 1 chain were used (DAKO).

In 17 women peritoneal endometriosis was diagnosed by biopsy at the time of laparoscopy. An alpha 3 beta 1 integrin was more common in the glandular epithelium of women with endometriosis and beta 1 subunit was less frequently observed in the stroma of the endometriosis group than in women without endometriosis. The differences were statistically significant.

The selected integrins do not yet allow finding a pattern characteristic for endometriosis.