All-＜i＞trans＜/i＞　retinoic　acid　(ATRA)　is　a　derivative　of　vitamin　A　that　can　induce　differentiation　and　apoptosis,　as　well　as　inhibit　proliferation,　in　glioma　cells.　However,　the　effect　of　ATRA　on　the　migration　and　invasiveness　of　glioma　remains　poorly　understood.　In　addition,　although　it　is　universally　accepted　that　ATRA　can　induce　apoptosis　and　inhibit　proliferation　in　glioma　cells,　the　association　between　the　concentration　and　effects　of　ATRA　remain　unclear.　Therefore,　the　present　study　investigated　the　effects　of　ATRA　treatment　on　the　migration,　invasion,　apoptosis　and　proliferation　of　glioma　cells.　The　U87　and　SHG44　glioma　cell　lines　were　treated　with　various　concentrations　of　ATRA,　consisting　of　0,　5,　10,　20　and　40　µmol/l.　A　scratch　wound　healing　assay　and　a　Matrigel　invasion　assay　were　used　to　investigate　cell　migration　and　invasion,　respectively.　Flow　cytometry　was　performed　to　investigate　apoptosis　and　cell　cycle　distribution.　Reverse　transcription-quantitative　polymerase　chain　reaction　and　western　blotting　were　used　to　investigate　the　expression　of　matrix　metalloproteinase　(MMP)-2　and　-9　in　each　cell　treatment　group.　Following　treatment　with　ATRA,　the　migration,　invasion　and　proliferation　of　the　glioma　cells　were　significantly　inhibited,　and　the　apoptosis　rate　was　significantly　increased　compared　with　that　of　the　blank　control　group.　Furthermore,　a　dose-effect　association　was　identified　between　each　effects　and　ATRA　treatment.　The　mRNA　and　protein　expression　of　MMP-2　in　U87　glioma　cells　was　not　significantly　affected　following　treatment　with　low　concentrations　of　ATRA,　consisting　of　5　and　10　µmol/l　ATRA,　compared　with　the　expression　in　the　control　group　(P＞0.05).　However,　treatment　with　high　concentrations　of　ATRA,　consisting　of　20　and　40　µmol/l　ATRA,　significantly　downregulated　the　expression　levels　of　MMP-2　in　U87　cells.　In　contrast　to　U87　cells,　the　administration　of　ATRA　treatment　to　SHG44　glioma　cells　resulted　in　a　significant　and　dose-dependent　downregulation　in　MMP-2　mRNA　and　protein　expression　(P＜0.01).　In　addition,　significant　downregulation　of　MMP-9　expression　was　identified　in　the　two　glioma　cell　lines　(P＜0.01).　The　results　of　the　present　study　indicate　that　treatment　with　ATRA　may　inhibit　migration,　invasion　and　proliferation,　and　promote　apoptosis　in　glioma　cells.　Furthermore,　the　current　study　indicates　that　the　inhibition　of　glioma　cell　invasion　by　ATRA　may　be　partially　associated　with　its　effect　ability　to　downregulate　MMP　expression.