Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF ) Freely available
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (13)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Palmer, J.A.
Right arrow Articles by Rogers, P.A.W.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Palmer, J.A.
Right arrow Articles by Rogers, P.A.W.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Human Reproduction, Vol. 11, No. 10, pp. 2142-2150, 1996
© 1996 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

research-article

Contraception: Immunohistochemical study of endometrial microvascular basement membrane components in women using Norplant

J.A. Palmer1,3, T.M. Lau1, M. Hickey2, M. Simbah2 and P.A.W. Rogers1

1Monash University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash Medical Centre Clayton, VIC 3168 2Sydney Centre for Reproductive Health Research, University of Sydney NSW 2006 Australia

Correspondence: 3To whom correspondence should be addressed

The mechanisms responsible for progestogen-induced breakthrough bleeding remain unexplained. The aim of the present study was to examine the expression of three basement membrane components, collagen IV (CIV), laminin and heparan sulphate proteoglycan (HSPG), by immunohistochemistry in sections of endometrium from women receiving the subdermal levonorgestrel implant (Norplant®) and normally cycling women. Control biopsies were obtained from 20 normal subjects from Melbourne, Australia, and pre- and post-Norplant-insertion biopsies were obtained from 11 women from Sydney, Australia, with between 3 and 6 months Norplant exposure. It was postulated that in Norplant users a decrease in the amount of basement membrane material present around endometrial vessels may be responsible for increased capillary fragility. The results, however, showed that for all three components, Norplant biopsies exhibited vascular basement membrane immunostaining at least as intense as that found in the mid-late secretory phase of the normal cycle. During the normal cycle, HSPG was only detected in approximately 40% of vessels with CIV and laminin immunoreactivity, and menstrua] biopsies demonstrated reduced staining for all three components. Several biopsies exhibited a degree of regional variability in staining intensity, and Norplant biopsies exhibited areas of discrete, decidual-like stromal immunostaining for CIV and laminin. Although no differences were found in microvascular basement membranes in Norplant users that might explain capillary fragility, it is possible that other techniques could yield information on changes in the integrity of basement membrane components that might influence basement membrane strength.

Key words: basement membrane/endometrium/immunohisto-chemistry/microvasculature/Norplant


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
A.H. Shaamash and M.M. Zakhari
Increased serum levels of nitric oxide metabolites among users: a possible role in progestin-induced bleeding
Hum. Reprod., January 1, 2005; 20(1): 302 - 306.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
B.A. Roopa, A. Loganath, and K. Singh
The effect of a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system on angiogenic growth factors in the endometrium
Hum. Reprod., September 1, 2003; 18(9): 1809 - 1819.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
G. Kohnen, S. Campbell, M. D. Jeffers, and I. T. Cameron
Spatially regulated differentiation of endometrial vascular smooth muscle cells
Hum. Reprod., February 1, 2000; 15(2): 284 - 292.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
M. Hickey, M. Simbar, R. Markham, L. Young, F. Manconi, P. Russell, and I.S. Fraser
Changes in vascular basement membrane in the endometrium of Norplant users
Hum. Reprod., March 1, 1999; 14(3): 716 - 721.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
A.J. Vincent, N. Malakooti, J. Zhang, P.A.W. Rogers, B. Affandi, and L.A. Salamonsen
Endometrial breakdown in women using Norplant is associated with migratory cells expressing matrix metalloproteinase-9 (gelatinase B)
Hum. Reprod., March 1, 1999; 14(3): 807 - 815.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.