Do wine polyphenols modulate p53 gene expression in human cancer cell lines?

BACKGROUND: The p53 gene is an established tumor suppressor and an inducer of apoptosis. We here attempt to determine whether the putative anticarcinogenic properties attributed to red wine and its polyphenolic constituents depend, at least in part, upon their ability to modulate p53 expression in cancer cells. METHODS: Three human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, T47D; MDA-MB-486) and one human colon cancer cell line [Colo 320 HSR (+)] were …