OBJECTIVE：To study the inhibi tory effects of genistein on the growth of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma. CNE 1 cells and predict its potential target. METHODS ：CCK-8 method was used to test the effects of 0（blank control ），12.5，25，50， 100，150 µmol/L genistein on the proliferation of CNE 1 cells after treated for 24，48，72 h. Flow cytometry was carried out to detect the effects of 0（blank control ），15，30，60 µmol/L genistein on the cell cycle and ap optosis of CNE 1 cells after treated for 24 h. Scratch test was used to investigate the effects of 0（blank control ）， 10， 20， 30 µmol/L genistein on themigration ability of CNE 1 cells after treated for 24 h. High （No.18210156） throughput sequencing was conducted to discover the differential genes in CNE 1 cells after treated with 0（blankcontrol），30 µmol/L genistein for 24 h. RT-qPCR assay was adopted to verify the mRNA expression of related differential genes in above trials. RESULTS ： Compared with blank control，12.5，25，50，100，150 µmol/L genistein sho wed significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of CNE 1 cells（P＜ 0.01），in a concentration- time-effect manner ；15，30 µmol/L genistein could arrest CNE 1 cell cycle at G 0/G1 stage（P＜0.05 or P＜ 0.01）；30，60 µmol/L could arrest CNE 1 cell cycle at G 2/M stage and promoted cell apoptosis （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. 10，20，30 µmol/L genistein could significantly inhibit the migration ability of CNE 1 cells（padj＜0.01）. High throughput sequencing revealed a total of 2 271 differentialgenes（P＜0.05），1 154 of which were up-regulated while 1 117 of which were down-regulated ；8 potential target genes ，including p53，p21，STC2，FGF2，CDK6，CYCLIN D ，PI3K，AKT，were screened by cell experiment. After validated by RT-qPCR assay ，mRNA expression of p53，p21，STC2，FGF2，CDK6，CYCLIN D and AKT were significantly down-regulated（P＜0.05），which consistent with the sequencing results. CONCLUSIONS ：Genistein can effectively inhibit the growth of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE 1 cells，the mechanism of which may associated with inhibiting the expression of mutant gene p53，restoring the function of wild-type P 53 protein and inhibiting the activity of PI 3K/Akt pathway.