When the cytotoxic drug cisplatin, which is known to induce apoptosis in lung cancer cells, was administered to A549 cells, a significant increase in cisplatin-induced apoptosis was found in TASK-1 siRNA transfected cells in comparison to control siRNA transfected cells (Fig 4A and 4C, S1 Fig). This evidence concerns the gene KCNK3 and lung carcinoma.