title: Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-A and its receptor-1 in a luteal endometrium in patients with repeated in vitro fertilization failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate temporal and spatial relationships of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A and its receptor (VEGFR-1) expression in a luteal endometrium obtained from patients with repeated IVF failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three regular-cycling infertile women (mean age, 34.4 years) who experienced three or more failed IVF cycles (range, 3-14 cycles).
  
  
  METHODS
  Endometrial samplings by silastic suction curette in the luteal phase of a spontaneous unmedicated cycle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemical intensity scoring after staining by monoclonal anti-VEGF-A and polyclonal anti-VEGFR-1. Microvascular density determined after staining by monoclonal anti-CD31 antibody. The data were compared in three phases; early (cycle day [CD]16-19) (n = 12), mid- (CD20-24) (n = 13), and late luteal phase (CD25-27) (n = 8).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expression of VEGF-A tended to be lower in midluteal endometrium at epithelial, stromal, and endothelial cells. Expression of VEGFR-1 at epithelial cells was highest in midluteal endometrium, but VEGFR-1 at stroma and endothelium and microvascular density continuously decreased throughout luteal-phase endometrium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast to previous reports, VEGF-A expression was not highest in the midluteal phase in repeated IVF failure patients who had no apparent endometrial pathology. Further research is needed to determine whether different VEGF-A expression patterns in the luteal phase contribute to repeated IVF failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Chul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Jee
authors.forename: Chang Suk
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Ki Chul
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Won Don
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Haeryoung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seok Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002196:Capillaries / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004717:Endometrium / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000378:metabolism*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C501162:FLT1 protein, human; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1