title: Evaluation of FAS and caspase-3 in the endometrial tissue of patients with idiopathic infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate expression of BcL-2, FAS, FAS ligand (FASL) and cleaved caspase-3 in the endometrial tissue of women with idiopathic infertility (with two consecutive failed cycles of in vitro fertilization) and women with idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss. The control group consisted of fertile women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Endometrial tissue samples from fertile women (n=25), women with idiopathic infertility (n=25) and women with idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss (n=25) were collected on the seventh or eighth postovulatory day of their menstrual cycles for evaluation. Expression of BcL-2, FAS, FASL and cleaved caspase-3 was assessed using immunohistochemical methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expression of BcL-2 and FAS was significantly higher and lower, respectively, in the women with idiopathic infertility than in the other groups (p<0.01). Expression of cleaved caspase-3 was significantly lower in the women with idiopathic infertility than in the other groups (p<0.01). Expression of FASL was similar in all three groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Disturbances in endometrial apoptosis may be a contributing factor in patients with idiopathic infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Michele Q
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Panzan
authors.forename: Rosiane
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mattar
authors.forename: Carla C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Maganhin
authors.forename: Ricardo dos Santos
authors.initials: Rdos S
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.forename: Alexandre Guilherme Zabeu
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Eduardo Leme Alves da
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.forename: Edmund C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Baracat
authors.forename: José Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Soares
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C491901:FAS protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D019014:fas Receptor; D053148:Caspase 3