The depolarized expression of the alpha-6 integrin subunit in the endometria of women with endometriosis.
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 cells (depolarized). The percentage of samples showing depolarized expression was significantly higher in the endometriosis group (66.6% vs 15.8%, chi2 =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.
Vernet-Tomás
María del Mar
Mdel M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Universitari del Mar, Barcelona, Spain. mvernet@imas.imim.es
Pérez-Ares
Carlos Tomás
CT
Verdú
Núria
N
Fernández-Figueras
María Teresa
MT
Molinero
José Luis
JL
Carreras
Ramón
R
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002465:Cell Movement; D016764:Cell Polarity; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D039503:Integrin alpha6 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D039503:Integrin alpha6