Aim To investigate the effect of RNA interference targeting survivin on the the intimal hyperplasia(IH) in vein graft in rats. Methods Autogenous vein graft model was established in 48 Wistar rats,transplanting the interior jugular vein to common jugular artery by microsurgical technique.The rats were divided into 4 groups according to different processing methods,including control team,empty vector team,shRNA control team and shRNA targeting surviving team.Vein graft samples were harvested on 1 or 2 weeks after surgery and survivin mRNA were measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were also used to detect the expression of survivin and proliferation cell nuclear antigen(PCNA).Apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMC) was dectected by TUNEL.IH was compared at the same time. Results The IH was evident 1 or 2 weeks after vein grafting,and ameliorated by transfection of shRNA vector of survivin(p<0.05).The expression of survivin mRNA was also inhibited significantly by shRNA of survivin.Expression of survivin and PCNA decreased greatly in shRNA team,but the positive cells of TUNEL increased significantly. Conclusion Local transfection of shRNA expression vector targeting survivin can inhibit the IH after vein graft,which maybe accomplished by the inhibition of gene and protein expression of survivin.