Fig. 1

H3K4 as a potential target to differentiate CSCs. A Shown are the overlay of the epigenetic modifiers KMT2B, KMT2D, and DNMT1, with pathways associated with cancer development in IPA - differentiation of beta islet cells, proliferation of stem cells, proliferation of cancer cells, and neoplasia. The RNA-Seq data for the exosomes were previously reported [18]. B Viable MDA-MB-231 BCCs were counted after exposure to WDR5–0103 (10 μg/ml) using trypan blue exclusion. The data are presented for three biological replicates. C BCCs with WDR5–0103 (10 μg/ml) or vehicle. The viable cells were analyzed for BCC subsets by flow cytometry. Subsets were demarcated based on relative fluorescence intensities (Oct4a expression). The data are presented for four biological replicates. D Real time PCR assessed levels of the stem cell-associated genes - Oct4a, Sox2, Klf4, and Nanog in BCCs treated with WDR5–0103 or vehicle. The values for vehicle were assigned as 1 and the experimental values presented as fold change. The results are presented for three biological replicates. E MDA-MB-231 BCCs were treated with 10 μg/ml WDR5–0103 and/or 200 μg/mL carboplatin each day for 48 h. Control cells were treated with vehicle (DMSO). Cell death was assessed by trypan blue exclusion. The results are shown for three biological studies. *p < .05. F The diagram summarizes the findings in this figure – WDR5–0103 differentiates CSCs to Oct4(lo) BCC progenitors, known to cycle [18]. Addition of carboplatin target the Oct4(lo) and the non-CSCs