B60

Expression levels of Src kinase family members (SKFMs) in human breast tissue

Beatrix Elsberger, Samer Zino, Fiona Jordan, Paul Shiels, Joanne Edwards

University of Glasgow and Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Background

There is a paucity in the literature about expression levels of SKFMs in human breast tissue. The aim of this study was to assess SKFM expression levels in different human breast specimens.

Method

The cohort consisted of 52 invasive breast cancers (M), 36 non-malignant (NM) and 10 normal (N) breast tissue samples. m-RNA expression of eight SKFMs (Src, Lck, Lyn, Fgr, Fyn, Hck, Blk, Yes) was assessed by quantitative real time PCR.

Results

Median age of the patients was 60 years. Median size of breast cancer was 25mm, 42% were pathologically graded G2 and 50% G3. ER status was not significantly different between tissue types (p=0.50). 60% of breast cancer patients were LN positive. Every SKFM expression was quantified in all tissue samples. Fyn was the most expressed SKFM in normal tissue and Lyn in the NM breast tissue. Blk was the least expressed SKFM in all breast tissues. Higher expression levels of Fyn and Yes were observed in the NM and N breast tissue compared to invasive breast cancers (p<0.001and p<0.001). In malignant breast tissue, c-Src and Lyn were most expressed. c-Src (p=0.01) and Fyn (p=0.03) were expressed at higher levels in lobular compared to ductal carcinomas, whereas Yes (p=0.006) was only expressed in ductal carcinomas. Lck and Lyn were expressed at higher levels in ER negative tumours compared to ER positive tumours (p=0.03, p=0.01). No change in Src expression was observed between tissue types (p=0.907).

Conclusion

Further investigations are warranted to explore if expression data correlate with other clinic-pathological features, disease specific and overall survival.