Objective To investigate the effect of survivin antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides (survivin ASODNs) on intimal hyperplasia (IH) in vein graft in rats. Methods Autogenous vein graft models were established in 60 Wistar rats by transplanting the interior jugular vein to the common jugular artery using microsurgical technique. The rats were divided into 5 groups according to random digits table, including survivin ASODNs 50 μg group and 200 μg group, scramble ODNs 200 μg group (ODNs group）, Lipofectin+pluronic group and control group. Vein graft samples were collected on 7 d and 14 d after transplantation, respectively. The degrees of hyperplasia were determined and then compared by histomorphology between different groups. The expression of survivin mRNA was measured by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The relevant protein products were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry was also used to detect the expression of PCNA. Apoptosis of VSMC was measured by TUNEL.Results Day 7 and 14 were the days that intimal hyperplasied most in control group, ODNs group and Lipofectin+pluronic group, there was no significant difference among these groups yet (Pgt;0.05). The IH could be suppressed by locally transfecting 50 μg of survivin ASODNs (P＜0.05), and it showed a better inhibiting effect in 200 μg of survivin ASODNs group (P＜0.05). The expression of survivin mRNA increased significantly in control group. The expressions of both survivin and PCNA in VSMC significantly decreased in survivin ASODNs group (P＜0.05), whereas the positive cells of TUNEL increased significantly (P＜0.05). Conclusion Transfection of survivin ASODNs may inhibit the IH after vein graft through suppressing the hyperplasia and stimulating the apoptosis of VSMC, and inhibiting the expression of survivin.