OBJECTIVE To study the apoptotic effects of influenza A virus on the Raji cell line. METHODS Cultured Raji cells were infected with influenza A virus at a multiplicity of infection (m.o.i) of 20 and the effects of apoptosis were detected at different time points post infection using the following methods: electron microscope, DNA agarose gel electrophoresis, PI stained flow cytometry (FCM) and Annexin-V FITC/PI stained FCM. RESULTS Raji cells infected with influenza A virus showed changes of morphology apoptosis, DNA agarose electrophoresis also demonstrated a ladder-like pattern of DNA fragments in a time-dependent manner. PI stained FCM showed "apoptosis peak" and FITC/PI stained FCM showed apoptotic cells. Quantitative analysis indicated that the percentage of apoptotic Raji cells increased after infection, and cycloheximide (CHX), an eukaryotic transcription inhibitor, could effectively inhibit the apoptotic effects of influenza A virus in vitro. CONCLUSIONS Influenza A virus can induce apoptosis in Raji cell line suggesting that it may lead to a potential method for tumor therapy.