〔Abstract〕 Objective To explore the effects and action mechanism of miR-181c-5p on biological behaviors of prostate cancer cells. Methods The pathological relationship between BIRC5, miR-181c-5p and prostate cancer was analyzed based on prostate cancer data in TCGA database. The target binding site of miR-181c-5p and BIRC5 was analyzed by miRNA target gene prediction database, and was verified by double luciferase activity assay. The expression of BIRC5 protein in miR-181c-5p overexpression cells was detected by Western blot. The prostate cancer cells PC3 and DU145 were selected to construct cell line with miR-181c-5p overexpression(miR-181c-5p group) and its negative control(miR-NC group), and qRT-PCR verification was conducted. The cells proliferation [optical density at 450 nm site(OD450 nm)] was detected by CCK-8. Distribution of cell cycles and apoptosis rate were detected by flow cytometry. Expressions of proliferation and apoptosis related proteins were detected by Western blot. The cell line with miR-181c-5p/BIRC5 overexpression was constructed(miR-181c-5p+BIRC5 group). Cells growth, distribution of cell cycles, apoptosis rate and expressions of related proteins were detected by the above methods. Results The expression of BIRC5 was up-regulated in prostate cancer tissues, and it was higher in patients with high tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis and recurrence. Patients exhibiting high expression of BIRC5 demonstrated poor survival rates. The expression of miR-181c-5p was down-regulated in prostate cancer tissues. The level of miR-181c-5p was negatively correlated with BIRC5 level, and miR-181c-5p could inhibit BIRC5 expression. In PC3 and DU145, miR-181c-5p level in miR-181c-5p group was higher than that in miR-NC group(P<0.05); OD450 nmand percentage of S-phase cells were lower than those in miR-NC group(P<0.05), percentage of cells in G0/G1phase; apoptosis rate and expressions of BAX, caspase-3 and PARP proteins were higher than those in miR-NC group(P<0.05); expressions of CDK2, CCNB1 and BCL-2 proteins were lower than those in miR-NC group(P<0.05). The expression of BIRC5 protein and OD450 nmin miR-181c-5p+BIRC5 group were higher than those in miR-181c-5p group(P<0.05), percentage of cells in G0/G1phase was lower than that in miR-181c-5p group(P<0.05); percentage of S-phase cells was higher than that in miR-181c-5p group(P<0.05); apoptosis rate was lower than that in miR-181c-5p group(P<0.05); expressions of CDK2, CCNB1 and BCL-2 proteins were higher than those in miR-181c-5p group; expressions of BAX, caspase-3 and PARP proteins were lower than those in miR-181c-5p group. Conclusion miR-181-5p can inhibit the proliferation of human prostate cancer cells by targeting BIRC5, block cells in G0/G1phase and promote cells apoptosis.