[Expression of tyrosine kinase Syk in breast cancer and their clinical significance].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of the Syk mRNA expression in human breast cancer on tumor growth and metastasis, and to study the correlation of expression of the Syk gene with ER, PR, p53 and HER2/neu.


METHODS
Specimens from 40 breast cancer patients (tumor tissues, adjacent normal tissues), 15 fibroadenoma were detected for their expression of the Syk gene and level of Syk mRNA by semi-RT-PCR technique. Meanwhile, ER, PR, p53, HER2/neu were detected in 40 tumor tissues from breast cancer with immunohistochemical staining.


RESULTS
All normal breast tissues were detected the expression of the Syk gene. Unlike normal breast tissue, 31 out of 40 breast cancer tissue did not show any detectable Syk mRNA expression, there were significant difference in two groups (chi(2) = 47.4, P < 0.05). The level of Syk mRNA in the primary breast cancer tissues were significantly lower than that in the adjacent non-cancerous breast tissues (t = 3.41, P < 0.05). Furthermore, only one breast cancer tissue in 18 patients with lymph node metastasis had the Syk mRNA expression, the rate and level of Syk mRNA expression in the patients with lymph node metastasis were lower than those without lymph node metastasis (chi(2) = 3.77, P < 0.05, t = 2.74, P < 0.05). Syk expression was correlated to p53 expression.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of the Syk gene may play an important role in suppressing growth and metastasis of breast cancer.
Ding
Yong-bin
YB
Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
Wu
Zheng-yan
ZY
Wang
Shui
S
Fan
Ping
P
Zha
Xiao-ming
XM
Zheng
Wei
W
Liu
Xiao-an
XA
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000235:genetics*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000072377:Syk Kinase; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D004967:Estrogens; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000072377:Syk Kinase; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C000606896:SYK protein, human