Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) is thought to function as a nucleocytoplasmic shuttle protein. There are reports of its involvement in cell proliferation, and more recently it has also been implicated in the regulation of apoptosis. In the present study, we examined the effects of eIF5A over-expression on apoptosis and of siRNA-mediated suppression of eIF5A on expression of the tumour suppressor protein, p53. Over-expression of either eIF5A or a mutant of eIF5A incapable of being hypusinated was found to induce apoptosis in colon carcinoma cells. Our results also indicate that eIF5A is required for expression of p53 following the induction of apoptosis by treatment with Actinomycin D. Depiction of eIF5A localization by indirect immunofluorescence has indicated, for the first time, that the protein is rapidly translocated from the cytoplasm to the nucleus by death receptor activation or following treatment with Actinomycin D. These findings collectively indicate that unhypusinated eIF5A may have pro-apoptotic functions and that eIF5A is rapidly translocated to the nucleus following the induction of apoptotic cell death.