Loss of Syk in normal breast cells

Loss of Syk in normal breast cells in vivo and in vitro: gene expression and phenotypic switch to stem-cell like with induction of invadopodia Morphological and gene microarray analysis following Syk knockdown in MCF10A reveals a loss of luminal and differentiated epithelial features with epithelial to mesenchymal transition and a gain in invadopodia and stem/ progenitor cell marker expression. These results support the role of Syk in limiting normal stem/progenitor proliferation and invasion during morphogenesis, and support the role of Syk as a critical tumor suppressor for breast cancer. Global gene expression profiles were measured using Affymetrix U133A 2.0 microarrays in MCF10A cell lines (control and Syk siRNA knockdown cells on collagen gels or plastic).