Expression data from synovial sarcoma-like tumors induced in a genetically engineered mouse model

Synovial sarcoma-like tumors were generated in mice by conditionally expressing the human t(X;18) translocation-derived SYT-SSX2 fusion protein. Using a Tamoxifen-inducible CreER system, we show here that sporadic expression of SYT-SSX2 across multiple tissue types leads to exclusive formation of synovial sarcoma-like tumors while its widespread expression is lethal. CreER-based sporadic expression both avoids the severe early developmental phenotypes associated with widespread SYT-SSX2 expression and better models natural pathogenesis of cancers where transformed cells usually arise within an environment of largely normal cells. Genetically engineered mice capable of conditionally expressing the human synovial sarcoma-associated SYT-SSX2 fusion oncogene were mated with genetically engineered mice expressing the CreER fusion protein from ROSA locus. The progenies harboring both CreER and SYT-SSX2 were followed up with or without tamoxifen injection. Tumors were generated in these mice that were dissected out, RNA extracted, and subjected to expression profiling by microarray analysis.