AIM: To examine the effect of troglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) ligand, on the proliferation and apoptosis of human liver cancer cells.METHODS: Liver cancer cell line HepG2 was cultured and treated with troglitazone. Cell proliferation was detected by 3-(4-,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay; apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferasemediated nick end labeling of DNA fragmentation sites (TUNEL) assay; and apoptosis-related protein was detected by immunocytochemistry and West blotting.RESULTS: Troglitazone inhibited growth and induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner,and induced activation of caspase-3 expression.Troglitazone not only drove apoptosis-inhibiting factor survivin to translocate incompletely from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, but also inhibited expression of survivin,while it did not affect expression of apoptosis-promoting factor Bax.CONCLUSION: PPARγ ligands inhibit growth and induce apoptosis of liver cancer cells, and may have applications for the prevention and treatment of liver cancer.