Inhibition of epithelial to mesenchymal transition in metastatic breast carcinoma cells by c-Src suppression

The aberrant activation of c-Src regulates multiple functions during tumor progression. This study was conducted to investigate the role of c-Src suppression in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in human breast carcinoma cells. c-Src suppression by PP2 (a Src-family kinase inhibitor) or small interfering RNA (siRNA) was carried out in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Cell migration was analyzed by wound-healing assay. The transcription and protein levels of EMT markers and transcription factors were evaluated by reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. The changed cell morphology was photographed by light microscope. c-Src suppression by PP2 or siRNA reversed the mesenchymal-like phenotype in MDA-MB-231 cells. E-cadherin was upregulated in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells after c-Src suppression, whereas vimentin was downregulated in MDA-MB-231 cells. Slug and SIP1 were downregulated after c-Src suppression in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, whereas Twist was unchanged. These results suggest that c-Src suppression by PP2 or siRNA may inhibit EMT through regulation of different transcription factors in breast carcinoma cells that have different metastatic potential.