Mechanism underlying the low implantation rate in patients with thin endometrium

• Published in: Journal of mammalian ova research Vol. 26; no. 3
• Main Authors: Azumaguchi, A., Tonan Hospital, Sapporo (Japan), Henmi, H, Kanazawa, T, Saito, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.10.2009
• Subjects: DISORDERS; ESTRES OXIDATIVO; FACTEUR DE CROISSANCE TRANSFORMANT; FACTOR DE CRECIMIENTO TRANSFORMANTE; GENERO HUMANO; GENRE HUMAIN; HORMONE RECEPTORS; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_15584; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_26875; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_36758; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_37481; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_4586; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_5180; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_8125; MANKIND; NIDACION; NIDATION; OXIDATIVE STRESS; RECEPTEUR D'HORMONE; RECEPTORES DE HORMONAS; STRESS OXYDATIF; TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR; TRASTORNOS; TROUBLE; UTERO; UTERUS
• ISSN: 1341-7738
• DOI: 10.1274/jmor.26.134

The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanism underlying the low implantation rate in patients with thin endometrium. Endometrial thickness during postovulation days 5-7 (mid-luteal phase) during a total of 1,035 natural cycles in 205 patients was analyzed retrospectively. We designated patients with endometrial thicknesses = 6 mm as the thin group (n= 7 mm as the normal group (n=193), based on the markedly lower pregnancy rate in the thin group (thin: 8.3% vs. normal: 51.3%). Levels of steroid receptor, transforming growth factor alpha (TGFalpha) and oxidative stress were compared between the two groups. Oxidative stress was higher in the stroma of thin endometrium. In addition, expression of progesterone and estrogen receptors was higher, and TGFalpha expression was significantly lower in thin endometrium. Altered regulation of oxidative stress and levels of steroid receptors and TGFalpha appear to underlie the low implantation rate seen in patients with thin endometrium.