To investigate the antimigratory and antiinvasive effect of somatostatin receptor type 2 (SSTR2) gene transfection mediated by adenovirus in human pancreatic carcinoma cell and the mechanisms involved in this effect. Methods;The full length human SSTR2 cDNA was introduced into pancreatic cancer cell line BXPC3 by adenovirusmediated transfection, and stable expression of RNA and protein of SSTR2 were detected by RTPCR and Westenblot. The Matrigel coated Transwell was used to detect the migratory and invasive ability of SSTR2expressing cells, AdvGFP control cells and mock control cells. Furthermore, the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase2 (MMP2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase2(TIMP2) were detected by RTPCR method in these cells. Results;The stable expression of SSTR2 was detected in BXPC3 cells transfected by AdvGFPSSTR2. A dramatic decrease of BXPC3 expressing SSTR2 cell migratedthrough a Matrigelcoated filter was observed, as compared with AdvGFP control cells and mock control cells(P<0.01). Moreover, expressions of MMP2 mRNA were significantly increased in the SSTR2expressing cells and conversely the expressions of TIMP2 mRNA were significantly reduced in the SSTR2expressing cells compared with the AdvGFP control and mock control (P<0.01). Conclusions;The expression of reintroduced human SSTR2 gene in BXPC3 cell by AdvGFPSSTR2 exerts mankedly antimigratory and antiinvasive effect on pancreatic cancer cells, and the mechanisms involved in this effect may be by atteration of the MMP2/TMP2 ratio and thus suppress the degradation of extracellular matrix by cancer cells.