Objective To investigate the effects of knockdown of Aurora-A gene on the proliferation and apoptosis of HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Methods Aurora-A short hairpin RNA (Aurora-A shRNA) was designed and Aurora-A shRNA lentiviral vector was constructed and packed, and then transfected into HepG2 cells. Aurora-A mRNA expression was detected by real-time quantitative PCR. Aurora-A protein expression and phosphorylation level were detected by Western blotting. Cell proliferation was tested by MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. Results The Aurora-A shRNA lentiviral vector was successfully constructed and Aurora-A protein phosphorylation level was significantly reduced in HepG2 cells transfected with the lentiviral vector. When Aurora-a was knocked down, the proliferation of HepG2 cells decreased and the apoptosis rate increased significantly. Conclusion Knockdown of Aurora-A can inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of HepG2 cells.