Fibroblast growth factor-1 expression in the endometrium of patients with repeated implantation failure after in vitro fertilization.

BACKGROUND: An examination of the alterations in Fibroblast Growth Factor-1 (FGF-1) expression in a group of repeated implantation failure after in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients, when compared to fertile patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Study group consisted of 24 patients with repeated implantation failure and 29 fertile control patients. Endometrial samples received at the luteal phase were exposed to immunohistochemical staining for the fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1) with antibodies. RESULTS: In the study group all patients have primary infertility (n = 24), and the average duration of infertility was 3.9 ± 1.3 years. The average recurrent IVF failure was 2.6 ± 0.6 attemps. There were no significant differences in the histological data according to the Noyes classification (p = 0.226) and age (p = 0.231) between the patients in the study and control groups (n=29). The control group was found to have more severe expression of FGF-1 (< 0.001) than the study group when endometrial glandular epithelial cells, stromal cells and vascular endothelial cells were evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: Endometrial glandular epithelial cells, stromal cells and vascular endothelial cells of the control and study group were evaluated and it was found that the control group displayed a stronger expression of the FGF-1 (< 0.001). The expression of FGF-1 in the IVF implantation failure group is less than in the fertile group, which suggests that growth factors such as FGF-1 are important maternal factors effecting implantation.