In order to construct a recombinant plasmid containing short hairpin RNA （shRNA） targeting survivin and to investigate its effect on survivin expression and cell apoptosis of human retinoblastoma cell line Hxo-rb44 in vitro, RNA interference plasmid pSIRENS that can express shRNA of survivin was designed, constructed, and transfected into human retinoblastoma cell line Hxo-rb44, Survivin and c-Myc expression was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） and Western blot. Apoptosis of Hxo-rb44 cells was assayed by Honchest33258 staining and cell growth curve was drawn. The results showed that the oligonucleotide targeting survivin was identified in pSIRENS plasmid. After pSIRENS plasmid transfected, survivin and c-Myc expression in Hxo-rb44 cells was decreased significantly. Apoptotic rate of cells was up-regulated from （3.5±1.29） % to （36.1±19.66） %. The proliferation ability of Hxo-rb44 cells was inhibited. No significant effects on survivin expression and apoptosis of the cells were found when negative control plasmid was transfected. In conclusion, the plasmid containing shRNA targeting survivin was constructed successfully. It could inhibit efficiently the expression of survivin and c-Myc in human retinoblastoma cell Hxo-rb44 in vitro. The inhibition of the expression of c-Myc might be involved in the apoptosis of Hxo-rb44 cells.