R Savaris | PubMed Health

PubMed2003

Copper ions dynamically regulate beta3 integrin subunit expression in Ishikawa cells.

Copper intrauterine device (IUD) users have a reduced expression of beta3 integrin subunit during the implantation window. This integrin has been found to be a uterine marker for implantation. In order to verify if copper ions are involved in this reduction, beta3 integrin subunit expression was assessed in an in vitro model. The beta3 integrin subunit expression was determined by flow cytometry in the presence of copper D-gluconate and/or epidermal growth factor (EGF). The mean percentages of positive beta3 integrin subunit cells under different culture conditions were: 4.7 +/- 0.29 (mean +/- SEM) in controls; 8.6 +/- 0.59 in the presence of copper; 13.4 +/- 0.05 in the presence of EGF and 20.8 +/- 0.36 in the presence of EGF+copper (analysis of variance, p < 0.0001). Copper D-gluconate up-regulates beta3 integrin subunit expression in vitro both in the presence and absence of EGF. The differences between in vivo and in vitro results should be investigated and may represent interference by other factors such as the inflammatory process associated with the presence of IUDs.

Cations↗

PubMed2000

Expression of alpha4beta1 and alphavbeta3 integrins in the endometrium of women using the T200 copper intrauterine device.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of alpha4 and beta3 integrin subunit levels in the endometrium of healthy women and copper intrauterine device (IUD) T200 users. DESIGN: Case control study. SETTING: An academic teaching hospital and a primary care clinic. PATIENT(S): Thirteen copper IUD users and 13 normal fertile women. INTERVENTION(S): Timed endometrial biopsies during the mid-secretory phase (days 20 to 24). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Histologic dating of endometrium and immunohistochemical staining intensity of alpha4 and beta3, using the semiquantitative immunohistochemical score (HSCORE). RESULT(S): All endometrial biopsies consistent with menstrual dates were examined for integrin expression (beta3 and alpha4). No difference in alpha4 integrin expression was found between IUD users and controls in both luminal and glandular epithelium. In fertile controls, alphavbeta3 staining was present in 100% and 38.4% of glandular and luminal epithelium, respectively. In contrast, only 61.5% of the IUD users had any alphavbeta3 staining in the glandular epithelium and only 53.9% in the luminal epithelium. The intensity of immunoreactivity between the two groups (mean HSCORE) did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION(S): Proportionately, significantly fewer women using copper IUD had positive alphavbeta3 immunoreactivity in the glandular epithelium of mid-secretory endometrium.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗