Objective To investigate the expression of multigenes mediated by adenovirus in liver cancer cells and the effects on growth of cells transducted with multigenes. MethodsBy construction of recombinant adenovirus containing human p53, B7-1, GM-CSF, and IL-2 genes (Ad-multigenes), the expression level of target genes in three human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines and a human hepatocellular cell line L02 was detected using ELISA, immunohistochemistry and FACS assay and the change of growth of these cells and the tumor cell apoptosis were observed. Results The human hepatic cells and liver cancer cells were all sensitive to adenovirus infection. At a MOI of 50 PFU/cell, among the cells examined nearly 90% were positive expression and except IL-2, other three genes were expressed with high efficiency. The growth of Ad-multigenes-transduced liver cancer cell lines was inhibited and apoptosis was induced, but the growth of Ad-multigenes-transduced normal hepatic cell line L02 did not change. Conclusion These results indicate that the adenovirus is an efficient vector for gene transfer into human liver cancer cells. These liver cancer cell lines transduced with multigenes constructed on one recombinant adenoviral vector can highly express target genes and their growth was inhibited, and apoptosis appeared.