In the present study, HDAC1 knockdown significantly increased the expression of BIM, BAX, cleaved CASPASE3 and E-CADHERIN, and suppressed the expression of TWIST1, SNAIL and MMP9, which could be interpreted to be pro-apoptosis and anti-invasion effects of HDAC1 shRNA in glioma cells. This evidence concerns the gene TWIST1 and central nervous system cancer.