Aouad, PatrickZhang, YueyunDe Martino, FabioStibolt, CélineAli, SimakAmbrosini, GiovannaMani, Sendurai A.Maggs, KellyQuinn, Hazel M.Sflomos, GeorgeBrisken, Cathrin2022-10-122022-10-122022-10-122022-08-2510.1038/s41467-022-32523-6https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/191421More than 70% of human breast cancers (BCs) are estrogen receptor α-positive (ER+). A clinical challenge of ER+ BC is that they can recur decades after initial treatments. Mechanisms governing latent disease remain elusive due to lack of adequate in vivo models. We compare intraductal xenografts of ER+ and triple-negative (TN) BC cells and demonstrate that disseminated TNBC cells proliferate similarly as TNBC cells at the primary site whereas disseminated ER+ BC cells proliferate slower, they decrease CDH1 and increase ZEB1,2 expressions, and exhibit characteristics of epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) and dormancy. Forced E-cadherin expression overcomes ER+ BC dormancy. Cytokine signalings are enriched in more active versus inactive disseminated tumour cells, suggesting microenvironmental triggers for awakening. We conclude that intraductal xenografts model ER + BC dormancy and reveal that EMP is essential for the generation of a dormant cell state and that targeting exit from EMP has therapeutic potential.Epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity determines estrogen receptor positive breast cancer dormancy and epithelial reconversion drives recurrencetext::journal::journal article::research article