Chinese hamster lung cells (V79 cells) were exposed to the powder suspensions of chrysotile and its substitutes with different concentrations, and the survival rate of cells was monitored by MTT. After 48 h, the location, distribution and expression of Survivin, Cap43, Bcl-2, p16 and p53 in V79 cell were comparatively examined by immunohistochemistry. The effects of chrysotile and four main artificial substitutes from China's two major production areas on the expression of oncoprotein in V79 cells were studied to investigate the factors of lung cancer. Some conclusions have been reached: ① In the six kinds of powder, the inhibition action of rockwool on the growth of cells was the weakest, whereas the inhibition action of chrysotile from Xinkang of Sichuan and Southern Shaanxi on the growth of cells was the strongest. Chrysotile from Xinkang of Sichuan, chrysotile from southern Shaanxi, glass fiber, ceramic fiber, rockwool and wollastonite have certain degrees of influence on the survival rate of V79 cells. With the increase of the concentration of powder, the survival rate of cells decreases, suggesting dose-effect relationship. ② The expression of Survivin, Cap43 and Bcl-2 is upward regulated and the expression of p16 and p53 was downward regulated in V79 cells, which is obvious in the powder suspension of chrysotile from southern Shaanxi and Xinkang of Sichuan and glass fiber. The expression is mainly in cytoplasm. The results prove that the influence of different kinds of powder on the cells differs in degree. Chrysotile and its substitutes can induce the development of cancer by upward regulating the expression of Survivin, Cap43 and Bcl-2 and downward regulating the expression of p16 and p53.