DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation mediated gene expression regulation network involved in 3-methylcholanthrene induced lung cell malignant transformation

3-methylcholanthrene (3-MCA) is a typical representative PAH. It has strong toxicity and is a typical chemical carcinogen. However, the epigenetic mechanisms underlying 3-MCA-induced tumourigenesis are largely unknown. In this study, a model of the 3-MCA-induced malignant transformation of human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells was established successfully. The profiles of gene expression and DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation were obtained and analyzed with an Illumina HiSeq 4000. A large number of differentially expressed genes were screened out, and a number of genes that may be regulated by methylation were screened through Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis. 45 generations of HBE cells treated continuously with 1% DMSO and 10 μM 3-MCA