Objective To explore the effect of microRNA-34a on the invasion and proliferation of U87 glioma cells via targeted regulation of the vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）.Methods U87 glioma cells transfected with microRNA-34a NC， microRNA-34a inhibitor， and microRNA-34a mimic were divided into NC group， miR-34a inhibitor group， and miR-34a mimic group， respectively. The three groups were compared for the proliferation， invasion， and migration of U87 glioma cells as well as fluorescein activity and the mRNA and protein expression of VEGF.Results After transfection， the cell proliferation inhibition rate in the miR-34a mimic group was significantly higher than that in the NC group and miR-34a inhibitor group （P<0.05）； 48 hours after transfection， the cell invasion and migration ability was significantly lower in the miR-34a mimic group than in the NC group and miR-34a inhibitor group （P<0.05）， and was significantly higher in the miR-34a inhibitor group than in the NC group （P<0.05）； 48 hours after transfection， the relative mRNA and protein expression levels of VEGF were significantly higher in the miR-34a inhibitor group than in the NC group （mRNA： 2.34±0.32 vs 1.00±0.06， protein： 2.42±0.16 vs 1.00±0.10， F=256.230， P<0.05）， but the indices were significantly lower in the miR-34a mimic group than in the NC group （mRNA： 0.49±0.03 vs 1.00±0.06， protein： 0.43±0.06 vs 1.00±0.10， F=83.750， P<0.05）.Conclusions MicroRNA-34a can inhibit the proliferation， invasion， and migration of glioma cells， which may be associated with the inhibition of VEGF gene expression.