Objective: To explore the effect on biological behavior of chemotherapy-resistant tumor cells by human wild-type p53, GM-CSF and B7-1 genes mediated via recombinant adenovirus. Methods: p53-abnormal KB-v200 (VCR resistant) and KB-s (VCR sensitive) cell lines were used as model tumor cells, which are resistant and sensitive to chemotherapeutic drugs respectively. After infected with recombinant adenovirus carrying human wild-type p53, GM-CSF and B7-1 genes, changes in biological behavior (including drug sensitivity) of these two kinds of gene-transduced cancer cells were observed. Results: Both of the cell lines were susceptible to adenovirus, all of three exogenous genes (p53, GM-CSF and B7-1) could be effectively expressed in these cell lines, their growth was suppressed, and apoptosis was induced. The drug-pumping-out function of Pgp glycoprotein on the cytomembrane of drug-resistant KB-v200 cells was markedly affected 48h after transfection of the recombinant adenovirus, revealed by increase of the amount of rhodamine 123 accumulation in the cells. The MTT assay also indicated the reversal of their sensitivity to VCR drugs. In vivo experiment in nude mice it was demonstrated reduction of tumorigenicity of the KB-v200 cells or KB-s cells infected with the recombinant adenovirus, and increase of their sensitivity to VCR. Conclusion: The clinical application of this recombinant adenovirus carrying agents might be more effective in treatment of tumors with multidrug resistance (MDR).