The tumor suppressor p53 accumulates under conditions of cellular stress and affects cell cycle progression and/or apoptosis. This has been exemplified for endogenously produced or exogenously supplied nitric oxide (NO) and thus accounts at least in part for cell destructive signaling qualities of this bioactive molecule and/or derived reactive nitrogen species. However, detailed mechanisms of toxicity and pathways of cell demise remain to be elucidated. Establishing that NO-treatment left the ubiquitination and the p53-Mdm2 interaction intact may point to an impaired nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling to account for p53 stabilization. This was verified by heterokaryon analysis. We conclude that attenuated nuclear export contributes to stabilization and activation of p53 under the influence of NO.