Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: AlphaVBeta3 Integrin Expre ssion within Uterine Endometrium in Unexplained Infertility: 
A Prospective Cohort Study.  
 
Version: 0 Date: 28 Jan 2017  
 
Reviewer: Ellen Menkhorst  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This manuscript assesses 3 potential markers of endometrial receptivity in 2 cohorts of women - 
known fertile and unexplained infertile.  
Overall this manuscript is int eresting, however it does not advance the field to any significant 
degree; many researchers have looked at endometrial thickness and avb3 integrin as markers of 
infertility with varying results. This manuscript does add to the overall understanding of 
unex plained infertility; a table nicely summarizes studies investigating avb3 and highlights 
experimental differences which may account for differences in whether avb3 expression is 
altered in women with unexplained infertility.  
Methods: Please include the me thod for the IHC staining performed.  
Figure 1 & 2: negative controls should be shown.  
 
General Comments:  
As the avb3 integrin didn't have expression outside the glandular epithelium - should a 
quantitative method of detection be employed also? Western blo ttting or even qPCR would be 
suitable. Semi -quantitative detection methods do have their place in studies of the endometrium 
as it can be difficult to determine differences in expression by Western blotting or qPCR if the 
protein is found in more than one endometrial compartment. However, if the protein of interest is 
only expressed in one compartment (as the IHC figure here suggests avb3 is), then quantitative 
methods are appropriate.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
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 th e 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  
 
Qual ity of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following ques tions:  
 
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, either 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 patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have yo u 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 int erests 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 yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I work for an organization that has another research group likely to be  applying for patents for 
endometrial biomarkers of infertility in an IVF context, however I am not privy to the research 
being conducted and my job is paid for from funding that my research group has obtained. I 
would consider myself to 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 publicati on, 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