Human gliomas are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. In the brain, increased mRNA levels of transforming growth factor (TGF-) correlate with the degree of malignancy of human gliomas. miR10a/10b expression has been demonstrated to be associated with TGF- expression in brain tumors, and it is reported that TGF- induces miR10 expression. Therefore, miR10a/10b expression may be induced by TGF- expression and may be involved in the TGF--induced migration of brain tumor cells. The present study examined the expression of TGF- and miR10a/10b in the tissues of 10 patients with brain tumors using quantitative PCR (qPCR), and the correlation between TGF- and miR10a or miR10b expression was analyzed. Additionally, U251 and SHG-44 cells were treated with TGF- and the expression of miR10a/10b was examined. Further, cell migration was analyzed following transfection of U251 cells with miR10a/10b and the association between miR10a/10b and phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) was investigated. U251 cells were transfected with miR10a/10b inhibitors and a PTEN expression plasmid prior to TGF- treatment and then cell migration was assessed. A significant correlation was identified between TGF- and miR10a expression (r2=0.6936, P=0.007) and between TGF- and miR10b expression (r2=0.5876, P=0.02) in the tissues of patients with brain tumors. The results also showed that TGF- induces miR10a/10b expression and that TGF--induced miR10a/10b expression promotes cell migration through the suppression of PTEN. In conclusion, TGF--induced miR10a/10b promotes brain tumor migration. This study may provide a number of suggestions for the clinical treatment of brain tumors.