To induce cellular senescence in human hepatocytes, human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells and immortalized human hepatocytes (IHH cells) were treated with several compounds which have been shown to induce senescence in vitro: nutlin-3a (Nut), a small-molecule inhibitor of MDM2 (18) and etoposide (Eto) and doxorubicin (Doxo), two DNA-damaging agents (19, 20). This evidence concerns the gene MDM2 and hepatocellular carcinoma.