Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) is a xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme that is tissue-specifically expressed in the mammalian liver. In this study, the extent of CYP1A2 promoter methylation was analyzed to determine its potential role in the regulation of CYP1A2 in diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced mouse liver tumors. CYP1A2 mRNA was under-expressed about three fold in DEN-induced liver tumors compared to age-matched control livers. The CYP1A2 promoter was hypermethylated in DEN-induced liver tumors compared to controls, especially in a promoter domain close to the coding region. These results suggest that promoter methylation is involved in the regulation of CYP1A2 in mouse liver tumors.