Objective: The effects on cell-cycle and p53 expression in hepatoma cell line SK-Hep-1 were explored by transfecting exogenous p53 small double stranded RNA (dsRNA) into the SK-Hep-1 cells. Methods: p53 dsRNA and EGFP dsRNA were synthesized. SK-Hep-1 (wtp53) cell line was transfected with 200 ng and 400 ng p53 dsRNA or EGFP and EGFP+EGFP dsRNA (as positive control) or 9% NaCl (as blank control) by liposome transfection technique. Flow cytometry was adopted to measure the effects of p53 dsRNA on cell cycle. Expression of p53 protein was detected by West-Blotting at 48 h after transfecting p53 dsRNA. Results: The number of G0-G1 phase SK-Hep-1 cells, which were transfected with 200 ng p53 dsRNA, was decreased by 52.53% comparing with the control, and decreased by 50.29% (P<0.05) comparing with the positive control cells transfected with same dosage of EGFP+EGFP dsRNA. The number of S phase cells, which were transfected with 200 ng p53 dsRNA, was increased by 146.8% comparing with the control, and increased by 128.62% (P<0.05) comparing with the positive control cells transfected with same dosage of EGFP+EGFP dsRNA. The number of G2-M phase cells, which were transfected with 200 ng p53 dsRNA, was increased by 30.56% (P<0.05) comparing with the control, and increased by 21.63% (P>0.05) comparing with the positive control cells transfected with same dosage of EGFP+EGFP dsRNA. After 48 h, p53 protein expression was not detected in the SK-Hep-1 cells transfected with p53 dsRNA. Conclusion: p53 dsRNA can obviously improve the proliferation of SK-Hep-1 cells, and suppress p53 protein expression of SK-Hep-1 cells, the former may be related to of the latter.