Tumorigenesis results from various types of dysregulation of oncogenes and tumor suppressors that influence cellular proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and senescence. The transcription factor Myc-interacting zinc finger protein 1 (Miz-1) can either activate or repress gene expression in concert with binding partners including the Myc oncoprotein in several types of tumors. Known target genes of these complexes encode the cyclin‑dependent kinase inhibitors such as cdkn2b (p15) and cdkn1a (p21). In the present study, we showed that the silencing of Miz-1 expression, through shRNA in a lentiviral vector, influenced various biological processes in two types of esophageal carcinoma cell lines. Silencing of the expression of Miz-1 inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis in vitro. Loss of Miz-1 reduced the migration ability in esophageal carcinoma cells. High expression of p21 and downregulation of cyclin D1 accompanied the knockdown of Miz-1. Our data demonstrated that esophageal cancer has a cell cycle arrest pathway via Miz-1, p21 and cyclin D1.