colon cancer is one of the most frequent malignant tumors, and microrna (mir)-205 is involved in the tumor progression. The present study aimed to explore the effects of mir-205 on human colon cancer and its targeting mechanism. The levels of mir-205 and mouse double minute 4 (MdM4) were determined via reverse transcription-quantitative (rT-q) Pcr and western blot analysis. a luciferase activity assay was performed to analyze the association between mir-205 and MdM4. cell viability, migration and invasion were determined via cell counting Kit-8, wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. The levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (eMT)-associated factors were determined by rT-qPcr and western blot analysis. It was identified that MDM4 was overexpressed in colon cancer tissues and cells, and that there was a negative correlation between mir-205 and MdM4 expression in colon cancer. Similarly, mir-205 inhibited MdM4 expression by binding to its 3'untranslated region. in addition, mir-205 directly targeted MdM4, accompanied by suppressed proliferation, migration and invasion of HcT116 cells. eMT processes were suppressed in mir-205-overexpressed cells; upregulation of e-cadherin, and downregulation of n-cadherin, vimentin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2 and MMP9 were observed. collectively, mir-205 conspicuously depressed the viability, migration, invasion and eMT process of human colon cancer cells via targeting MdM4. mir-205 could be potentially used in the treatment of human colon cancer.