Objective:To investigate the effect and mechanism of daphnetin-induced autophagy in human glioblastoma U-251 cells.Methods:After U-251 cells were treated with different concentrations of daphnetin for 48 h,the number and formation of autopha-gosomes in U-251 cells were observed by transmission electron microscopy.Western blot was used to detect the expression of autophagy-related proteins mTOR,P62,Beclin-1 and LC-3.Results:Compared with the control group,the number of autophagosomes in U-251 cells was increased after treatment with 40,80 and 160 μg/mL daphnetin for 48 h.The expression levels of mTOR,Beclin-1 and LC-3 proteins were increased,while the expression level of P62 protein was decreased in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusion:Daphnetin may promote autophagy in U251 cells by up-regulating the expression of mTOR,Beclin-1 and LC-3 proteins and down-regulating the ex-pression of P62 protein.