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The Depolarized Expression of the Alpha-6 Integrin Subunit in the Endometria of Women With Endometriosis

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Universitari del Mar, Barcelona, Spain; Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Pathology, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain; mvernet{at}imas.imim.es

Carlos Tomás Pérez-Ares, MD,PhD

Núria Verdú, MD

María Teresa Fernández-Figueras, MD,PhD

José Luis Molinero, MD

Ramón Carreras, MD,PhD

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Universitari del Mar, Barcelona, Spain; Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Pathology, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain

Objective: The current study sought to compare the endometrial localization of the integrin subunit alpha-6 in women with endometriosis and women without the disease. Alpha-6 integrins have an important function, not only in the attachment of cells to the extracellular matrix and laminin, but they also serve as inductors of cell migration and invasion, depending on their pattern of expression in the cell membrane.

Methods: The endometriosis group consisted of 32 women with a confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis by laparoscopy or laparotomy. The control group consisted of 20 women not having endometriosis or any other gynecologic disease at laparoscopy. Endometria were obtained by biopsy. Immunohistochemical techniques were used to assess alpha-6- localization. In each section, the percentage of positive cells and the localization of expression were evaluated.

Results: All glandular cells expressed alpha-6- in all of the samples but presented two different patterns, either only in the basal side of the cells (polarized) or also in other sides of the cell (depolarized). The percentage of samples showing depolarized expression was significantly higher in the endometriosis group (66.6% vs 15.8%, ² = 12.09, P = .001).

Conclusions: The endometria of women with endometriosis more frequently show a depolarized expression of integrin subunit alpha-6, a characteristic usually found in highly proliferating cells with migrating and invasive abilities.

Key Words: Endometriosis • integrin alpha-6 • endometrium • depolarization

Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Vol. 13, No. 4, 292-296 (2006)
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsgi.2006.03.002


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