Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: AlphaVBeta3 Integrin Expr ession within Uterine Endometrium in Unexplained Infertility: 
A Prospective Cohort Study.  
 
Version: 1 Date: 24 Mar 2017  
 
Reviewer: Ellen Menkhorst  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Thank you for clarifying the points raised.  
Regarding the IHC - it is important to show the negative control. It would also be helpful to 
revise Figure 3 to show mayb e 1-2 patients from each cohort (fertile/infertile) and include lower 
power images as well as high power of the luminal epithelium (as it is the site of blastocyst 
adhesion).  
Regarding Western Blot,  the images shown suggest very little staining in the stro ma, making 
western blot a suitable method to quantitatively measure avB3. The antibody used for the IHC 
can be used for this western blot to minimize extra costs.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify w hat is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require  further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I recommend additional statistical review  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration  of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, ei ther now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patent s relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If your reply is y es to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included  
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publicat ion, my named report  
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors'  
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). I understand that any comments  
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments  
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal