DNA methylome and transcriptome analysis of normal and HBx transgenic mouse liver

A genome-wide integrated methylome and transcriptome analysis of the early stage of hepatocellular carcinoma development that induced by HBx. The HBV x (HBx) protein, which plays a critical role in the development of HCC, was shown to interact with several epigenetic factors, such as DNMT3A and HDAC1. Most HBx transgenic (TG) mice spontaneously develop HCC at about 1 year of age, providing genetic validation of the oncogenic potential of HBx even in the absence of viral integration and chronic inflammation. Therefore, it would be intriguing to study the regulatory role of HBx in the epigenome and its impact on HCC development. We performed a genome-wide analysis to examine the differences in DNA methylation patterns and RNA transcriptions between cancer and normal liver cells.