title: Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression in human endometrium: implications for long term progestin only contraception.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neutrophils infiltrate the endometrium pre-menstrually and after long-term progestin only-contraceptive (LTPOC) treatment. Trafficking of neutrophils involves endothelial cell-expressed intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1). Previous studies observed that ICAM-1 was immunolocalized to the endothelium of endometrial specimens across the menstrual cycle, but disagreed as to whether extra-endothelial cell types express ICAM-1 and whether ICAM-1 expression varies across the menstrual cycle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Endometrial biopsies were obtained from women across the menstrual cycle and from those on LTPOC treatment (either Mirena or Norplant). The biopsies were formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded with subsequent immunohistochemical staining for ICAM-1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The current study found prominent ICAM-1 staining in the endometrial endothelium that was of equivalent intensity in different blood vessel types irrespective of the steroidal or inflammatory endometrial milieu across the menstrual cycle and during LTPOC therapy. Unlike the endothelial cells, the glands were negative and the stromal cells were weakly positive for ICAM immunostaining.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the current study suggest that altered expression of ICAM-1 by endothelial cells does not account for the influx of neutrophils into the premenstrual and LTPOC-derived endometrium. Such neutrophil infiltration may depend on altered expression of neutrophil chemoattractants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. frederick.schatz@yale.edu
authors.forename: Frederick
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schatz
authors.forename: Graciela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Krikun
authors.forename: Rebecca N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Baergen
authors.forename: Hilary O D
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Critchley
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kuczynski
authors.forename: Charles J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lockwood
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004343:Drug Implants; D004717:Endometrium / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016912:Levonorgestrel / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D008875:Middle Aged; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D004343:Drug Implants; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D016912:Levonorgestrel