Increasing p53 protein sensitizes non-small cell lung cancer to paclitaxel and cisplatin in vitro.

Aim: To determine whether increasing p53 protein levels confers enhanced chemosensitivity in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Materials And Methods: Three NSCLC cell lines, with different endogenous p53 expression, were transfected with wild-type p53 (wt-p53) or CD-1 (truncated wt-p53) genes. Cells were subsequently treated with cisplatin (CDDP) or paclitaxel (PAX).