OBJECTIVETo assess the effect of wild-type p53 gene on the chemotherapy sensitivity of ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells to cisplatin.

METHODSRecombinant eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3 containing full-length human wild-type p53 cDNA was introduced by lipofectamine-mediated gene transfection into SKOV-3 cultured cells which were acted on by cisplatin of different concentrations. The chemotherapy sensitivity of tumor cells with different-status p53 was observed.

RESULTSThe inhibitive rate of formation of clones after p53 cDNA transfection was 56.4% compared with the untransfected one. The formation of clones decreased by 76.2% and 84.1% respectively after being acted on by 0.5 ug/ml cisplatin for 24 hours and 48 hours respectively. The formation of clones decreased by 89.5% and 93.7% respectively after being acted on by 1 ug/ml cisplatin for 24 hours and 48 hours respectively. After the introduction of p53 cDNA, the S phase and the ratio of G(2)/M phase of tumor cells decreased, and the ratio of G(1)/G(0) phase increased. The introduction of p53 gene into cells led to cell cycle arrest in G(1) phase.

CONCLUSIONThe exogenous introduction of wild-type p53 cDNA into ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells increased the chemotherapy sensitivity to cisplatin.