Study on leukemia inhibitory factor mRNA expression in endometrium of infertile women

Objective To study the expression of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) in the endometrium of infertile women (including luteal phase dysfunction, infertility of idiopathic and oviduct origin), and to explore the relevance of LIF and infertility. Methods The infertility patients came from Gynecology Obstetrics Hospital of Fudan University. and the LIF mRNA levels in the endometrium of midluteal phase were detected by RT-PCR. Results Semi-quantitative analysis of RT-PCR showed that the LIF mRNA level in the endometrium of normal women ( control group) was 1.12±0.35. while that expressed in the endometrium of luteal phase dysfunction was significantly lower than that of the normal endometrium (P0.05), The LIF mRNA level of infertility of oviduct origin was close to normal level (P0.05), whereas that of idiopathic origin decreased (P0.01).Conclusion These results indicate that defective of LIF gene might be related to infertility of luteal phase dysfunction and infertility.