We show herein that 1) EVA1 is frequently downregulated in breast tumors and breast cancer cell lines, especially those of mesenchymal phenotype; 2) like CLCA2, EVA1 is an epithelial marker that is co-regulated with E-cadherin; 3) knockdown of EVA1 results in rapid EMT in immortalized HMEC; and 4) CLCA2 and EVA1 form a complex with junctional regulatory molecule ZO-1; and 5) that CLCA2 cytoplasmic tail binds to beta catenin. The gene discussed is MPZL2; the disease is breast carcinoma.