OBJECTIVE: The precise mechanism of glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis has not yet been elucidated. Survivin, a member of the inhibitors of apoptosis protein family, correlates with inhibition of apoptosis, proliferation, angiogenesis and multiple drugs resistance. This study aimed to investigate the variation of the survivin gene expression in apoptosis induced by dexamethasone (Dex) in the human T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cell line, CEM-WT cells. METHODS: The logarithmically growing CEM cells cultured in vitro (cell density 2×105/mL) were exposed to 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5, and 10 μM Dex, then were collected 24, 48 and 72 hrs later. Untreated CEM cells were used as Controls. The cell viability was determined by trypan blue dye exclusion. Apoptosis was evaluated by morphology and flow cytometry. Survivin protein and gene were analyzed by Western Blot and RT-PCR. RESULTS: CEM cells growth was obviously inhibited by 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5, and 10 μM Dex from 48 hrs. The inhibition effect was dose-and time-dependent. CEM cells treated with Dex (≥5 μM) exhibited typical apoptotic features. The apoptosis increased after 5 μM Dex treatment in a time-dependent manner, with the apoptosis percentage increasing from 14.9% (12 hrs) to 46.2% (48 hrs). Compared with that of the Control group, the expression of survivin protein was down-regulated, with the expression rate of 54.6%, 45.5%, 15.8% and 9.7% respectively at 12, 24, 48 and 72 hrs after 5 μM Dex treatment. 5 μM Dex treatment also resulted in a decrease of survivin mRNA expression. The survivin mRNA expression was 76.4%, 67.3%, 55.0%, 49.9%, 38.3% and 18.3% of the Control respectively at 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hrs after Dex treatment. CONCLUSONS: Apoptosis induced by Dex in CEM cells is associated with downregulation of the survivin expression.