Temporary reduction and slow recovery of integrin ανβ3 in endometrium after uterine arterial embolization

We aimed to study the effect of uterine arterial embolization (UAE) on the level of endometrial integrin ανβ3 in guinea pigs.

A total of 55 female guinea pigs were randomly divided into a sham group (n=10) and a UAE group (n=45). The animals in the UAE group were further divided into three subgroups, A1, A2 and A3, with 15 subjects in each subgroup. Bilateral UAE was performed in the UAE group by injection of 40-120 μm and 100-300 μm microspheres. Uterine tissue samples were collected three days after ovulation, i.e., one menstrual cycle after UAE for A1 group, two menstrual cycles after UAE for A2 group and three menstrual cycles after UAE for A3 group. Levels of endometrial integrin ανβ3 were tested by immunohistochemistry with mean optical density (MOD) analysis. Serum levels of estradiol and progesterone were measured before sample collection.

The MOD values for integrin ανβ3 levels in endometrial glands were 0.393 ± 0.039, 0.253 ± 0.032, 0.319 ± 0.034, 0.365 ± 0.032 for the sham, A1, A2 and A3 groups respectively; in endometrial luminal epithelium they were 0.386 ± 0.036, 0.242 ± 0.035, 0.308 ± 0.042, 0.355 ± 0.031 for the sham, A1, A2 and A3 groups respectively. For both endometrial glands and luminal epithelium, ανβ3 levels in the sham group were statistically significantly higher than those in the A1, A2 and A3 groups (p(1)<0.001, p(2)<0.001, p(3)<0.05); and they were significantly higher in the A2 group than in A1 group (p<0.001), also in the A3 group than in A2 group (p<0.001). The levels of estradiol and progesterone in blood serum both had no significant differences among the groups (p>0.05).

UAE is associated with a decrease in endometrial integrin ανβ3 levels. The decrease would negatively affect endometrial receptivity, but might be transient and reversible.