Alterations of DNA methlation in oral cavity of mice induced by dibenzo[def,p]chrysene

Despite advances in treatment modalities, 5-year survival of OSCC has remained at ~50% for the past decades, mostly due to the high risk of developing secondary primary tumors. Early detection of OSCC represents one of the most promising approaches to improving survival. In this study, we examined the alterations of DNA methylation in early stage of oral carcinogenesis in mice induced by carcinogen dibenzo[def,p]chrysene. We identified 30 differentially methylated sites and canonical pathways that may be served as potential biomarkers for early detection of OSCC. Overall design: We analyzed the DNA methylomes from oral tissues of mice treated with dibeno[def,p]chrysene (24 nmol, 3 times per week, 5 weeks) or vehicle DMSO (n=3 per group). This animal protocol was selected based on our previous study showing maximum DNA damage induced by carcinogen while the tissues were histologically normal . Genomic DNA were extracted from oral tissues and subjected to Enhanced Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing (ERRBS).