ABSTRACT
In recent years, researches on cells, animals, and human beings have found that the carcinogenic mechanism of environmental carcinogen benzo (a) pyrene〔B(a)P〕can reduce methyla?tion of the whole genes, increase the tumor suppressor gene methylation and reduce the gene methyla?tion of proto-oncogene, in addition to the genetic toxicity. It can also cause changes in small RNA expression, the increase of long-chain non-coded RNA expression and imbalance in histone phosphor?ylation expressions. These changes can cause abnormalities in gene expression and chromosome structure and instability, directly leading to cancer. These changes can also cause the corresponding changes of genetic toxicity, such as gene mutation, abnormal genetic damage repair, increas of cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. All these are considered to be potential epigenetic mechanisms of B(a)P. Existing researches have provided the scientific basis for the mechanism of and prevention counter?measures for environment-related diseases and vocational diseases caused by B(a)P.