In the present study, we found that H3K9me3 enrichments on promoters of DAB2IP, FABP3, ZNF185 and ZNHIT1 displayed obvious alteration in HBx-expressing hepatoma cells, which would provide a better understanding of cell differentiation and proliferation abnormalities involved in the HBV-associated HCC patients. The gene discussed is FABP3; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.