Endometrial expression of leukemia inhibitory factor in women with different estrogen/progesterone receptor status of the endometrium

Abstract

Aim: to analyze the endometrial expression of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) related to the estrogen/progesterone receptor endometrial status in women with the history of reproductive dysfunctions.Materials and methods. The main group consisted of patients with the history of infertility (n = 81) or early pregnancy loss (n = 40). The control group included 16 women with normal fertility. At days 6–8 after ovulation, endometrial biopsy was performed and peripheral blood samples were taken to assess the estradiol and progesterone levels. Histological and immunohistochemical (to quantify the estrogen (ER)/progesterone (PR) receptors and LIF expression) examinations of the endometrium biopsy materials were carried out.Results. In the middle phase of the secretion, women of the control group showed higher levels of LIF expression in the endometrial glands (94%; n = 15) and stroma (88 %; n = 14) significantly more often than patients with reproductive dysfunctions – 69 % (n = 84) and 44 % (n = 53) respectively (p < 0.05). There was no difference in the endometrial LIF expression between women with infertility and those with early pregnancy loss. In women with a sizable hormone-receptor 'response', a pronounced expression of LIF in the luminal epithelium (87 %; n = 52 out of 60) and stroma (68 %; n = 47 out of 69) was detected more often (p < 0.01) than that in patients with impaired hormone-receptor interactions (61 %, n = 27 of 44; 29 %, n = 20 of 68). High PR expression in the endometrial glands (H-score > 105) indicates the risk of impaired LIF expression in the luminal epithelium (OR =2.6) and stroma (OR = 2.5). Overexpression of ER (H-score > 155) in the endometrial stroma is associated with the risk of sub-normal LIF expression in the endometrial glands (OR = 2.5) and stroma (OR = 2.8).Conclusion. A meaningful connection has been found between the endometrial estrogen/progesterone receptor status and the expression of LIF. Women with well-pronounced endometrial hormone-receptor interactions show high levels of endometrial LIF expression more often. The stromal ER and glandular PR expression levels are considered to be prognostic factors of reduced endometrial LIF expression in the uterine body mucosa.