To clarify the signal transduction pathways involved in regulating the expression of Bim in response to alterations of SPHK1 expression, the general expression level as well as activation status of transcription factor FOXO3a, a well known regulator of Bim [14], was examined in glioma cells with SPHK1 overexpressed or knocked down. The gene discussed is SPHK1; the disease is glioma.