Resistance to p53-mediated growth arrest and apoptosis in Hep 3B hepatoma cells

Mutations in the tumor suppressor p53 are a commonevent in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). BecauseHCCs typically occur in livers with chronic injury andimpaired function, we have explored the role of wild-typep53 in regulating the growth and di•erentiation of Hep3B hepatoma cells, a p53-negative line derived from aliver cancer. Stable Hep 3B cell lines were generated inwhich inducible p53 was introduced using either atemperature-sensitive mutant (p53val135) or a tamox-ifen-regulated p53-estrogen receptor chimera (p53-mER