title: An animal model of effects of nicotine exposure on endometrial receptivity and embryo implantation in pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims at evaluating the endometrial receptivity in uterus of pregnant rats exposed to nicotine via examination of integrin expression by immunohistochemical effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 16 healthy pregnant rats were divided into two groups of control and study groups each comprising eight rats. The rats randomised to study group were given a certain amount of nicotine before and during the pregnancy. Integrin expression was detected in uterus of all rats by immunohistochemical staining. The effect of nicotine exposure on embryo implantation and the endometrial receptivity were immunohistochemically and pathologically evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison of both groups revealed no difference in living, viable foetuses. Intensity and universality of immunohistochemical staining of Integrin β3 for endometrial epithelium and endometrial stroma were detected to be identical between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No immunochemical effect was observed on integrin expression, which is a very important part of receptivity in an animal model created with pregnant rats that were transdermally exposed to nicotine. Our study demonstrated that the harmful effect of nicotine use before and pregnancy on implantation is limited at the level of integrin expression, in a dose-dependent manner and also by considering the method of administration.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Yaşam Kemal
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1699-8667
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Akpak
authors.affiliation: b Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , Umraniye Training and Research Hospital , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Çekmez
authors.affiliation: c Department of Pathology , Medipol University Hospital , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Aslı
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Erdoğan Çakır
authors.affiliation: d Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , Bezmialem University Hospital , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Nilay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karaca
authors.affiliation: d Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , Bezmialem University Hospital , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Gonca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Batmaz
authors.affiliation: b Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , Umraniye Training and Research Hospital , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gülşen
authors.affiliation: b Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , Umraniye Training and Research Hospital , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tuştaş Haberal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D036401:Toxicity Tests, Chronic
chemical_list: D009538:Nicotine
keywords: Endometrial receptivity; implantation; integrin; smoking; tobacco