Objective: To investigate TAp63 expression in pancreatic cancer and its significance. Methods: The mRNA and protein expressions of TAp63 in 21 paired specimens of pancreatic cancer tissues and their adjacent normal pancreatic tissues, as well as three different pancreatic cancer cell lines (PANC-1, CFPAC-1 and BxPC3) and normal pancreatic cell line (HPDE6-C7) were determined by real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. PANC-1 cells were transfected with TAp63-siRNA, and then, the changes in mRNA and protein expressions of TAp63 were observed and the proliferation of PANC-1 cells after transfection was detected by MTT and BrdU assay, respectively. Results: The TAp63 mRNA expression level in pancreatic cancer tissue was significantly lower than that in their adjacent normal pancreatic tissues (t=2.572, P=0.0158); both mRNA and protein expression levels of TAp63 were significantly lower in all the three types of pancreatic cancer cell lines than those in HPDE6-C7 cells (all P<0.05). In PANC-1 cells transfected with TAp63-siRNA compared with untreated PANC-1 cells, both the abilities of proliferation and DNA synthesis were significantly increased (all P<0.05). Conclusion: TAp63 expression is down-regulated in pancreatic cancer tissue and cells, and the lower the level of TAp63 expression, the stronger is the growth ability of the cells.