Background The study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of miR-186, which targets protein tyrosine phosphatase (Shp2) PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, on the biological characteristics of lung adenocarcinoma cells. Methods In this experimental study, Human lung adenocarcinoma cell line SPC-A-1 was grouped as Blank group, negative control (NC) group, miR-186 mimic group, miR-186 inhibitor group, si-Shp2 group and miR-186 inhibitor+si-Shp2 group. Results The results showed that miR-186 can target and down-regulate the expression of Shp2 gene. Compared with the Blank group, levels of Shp2, N-cadherin and Bcl-2 and level of PI3K/p-PI3K, Akt/P-Akt, mTOR/p-mTOR as well as cell proliferation, migration and invasion ability and the proportion of cells in S phase significantly decreased in the miR-186 mimic group and the si-Shp2 group, while the levels of E-cadherin and Bax as well as the proportion of cells in G1 phase and cell gene and mediates apoptosis rate increased significantly (all P < 0.05). Compared with the miR-186 inhibitor group, the miR-186 inhibitor + si-Shp2 group showed similar trend in all parameters with the comparison above (all P < 0.05). Conclusions The overexpression of miR-186 can down-regulate Shp2 gene expression, further inhibit the proliferation, invasion and migration and promote apoptosis of lung adenocarcinoma cells by inhibiting the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.