title: The depolarized expression of the alpha-6 integrin subunit in the endometria of women with endometriosis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Universitari del Mar, Barcelona, Spain. mvernet@imas.imim.es
authors.forename: María del Mar
authors.initials: Mdel M
authors.lastname: Vernet-Tomás
authors.forename: Carlos Tomás
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Pérez-Ares
authors.forename: Núria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Verdú
authors.forename: María Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Fernández-Figueras
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Molinero
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carreras
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D039503:Integrin alpha6