Abstract

Objective: To evaluate gene and protein expression of steroid receptors, nuclear receptor coregulators, and uterine receptivity markers in midsecretory phase endometria from untreated women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Design: Case-control study. Setting: Hospital research unit. Patient(s): Eight patients with PCOS and eight fertile women of similar age to those with PCOS. Intervention(s): Endometrial samples were obtained from women with PCOS (PCOSE) and normal (NE) women during the midsecretory phase of the menstrual cycle. Main Outcome Measure(s): Expression studies (immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] and Western blot). Result(s): Endometria from PCOS exhibit higher levels of messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein for estrogen receptor α and coactivators than NE. Epithelial cells had a greater expression of progesterone receptor in PCOSE, whereas, no differences were observed in gene and protein expression of the nuclear corepressor (NcoR) and the antiadhesion molecule mucin type-1 (MUC-1) between PCOSE and NE. Immunodetection for the coactivator ARA70 was higher in PCOSE than in NE; in contrast, expression of β 3-integrin in epithelia was lower in PCOSE than in control endometria. Conclusion(s): The higher response to steroid hormones of endometria from untreated PCOS-women induces diminished expression of β 3 integrin, which partially explain implantation failure in PCOS patients. ©2006 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.