Our previous study demonstrates that hypoxia promotes human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) proliferation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the gene profile involved in this process by using cDNA microarray. Cultured hMSCs were treated with hypoxia (3% O(2)) for 4 h, 12 h, 24 h, 36 h, 48 h and 72 h, respectively. Then these cells were collected to prepare total RNA. Hypoxia-induced gene expression profile was examined and analyzed by GenePix Pro 4.0 software. Some of cDNA microarray results were confirmed by RT-PCR. Microarray analysis identified that 282 genes expressed differentially, of which most were involved in metabolism. The number of differentially expressed genes at different hypoxia time points was different, and most genes were regulated after 24-hour hypoxia. Among the 282 differentially expressed genes, 4 hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) targeted genes and 10 genes that changed at 3 continuous time points were found. The results obtained indicated that 4 HIF-1 targeted genes, i.e., transforming growth factor beta3 (TGFbeta3), phospho-glycerate kinase 1 (PGK1), insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) and BCL2/adenovirus E1B 19 kDa interacting protein 3 (BNIP3), displayed up-regulated pattern at 36 h under hypoxia. BNIP3 displayed a dynamically up-regulated pattern at 12, 36 and 72 h under hypoxia. However, TGFbeta3 and PGK1 were down-regulated at 72 h. In addition, the gene expressions of adenylate kinase 3-like 1 (HAC), neurofilament light polypeptide 68 kDa (NEFL), N-myc downstream regultated gene 1 (NDRG1), discoidin domain receptor family member 1 (DDR1), tribbles homolog 3 (TRIB3), nucleoprotein (AHNAK) and eukaryotic elongation factor selenocyteine-tRNA-specific (EESTS) were up-regulated. Moreover, the gene expressions of EESTS, NEFL were up-regulated at 5 different time points under hypoxia. Furthermore, it was found that the gene expressions of histone cluster 1 (HIS1) and transferring receptor (TFRC) were down-regulated. These results suggest that the proliferation of hMSCs induced by hypoxia is a complex process in which a number of genes may be involved.