Objective To observe the effects of GABA on proliferation, cell cycle and expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 of pancreatic cancer cell line SW1990. Methods The effects of different concentration of GABA (0 ～ 320 μmol/L) on proliferation and cell cycle of pancreatic cancer cell line SW1990 was investigated by MTT assay and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. Expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9 proteins were evaluated by Western blot analysis. Results GABA could promote the proliferation of SW1990 cells and influence the distribution of cell cycle, which made less cells of G0/G1 phase and more cells of S and G2/M phase. The value of A570 after GABA pretreatment at a dose of 320 μmol/L was 1. 11 ± 0.03, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (0. 56 ± 0.01, P < 0. 01 ), the cells of G0/G1 phase was (46.18 ± 1.12 )% ,which was significantly lower than (87.29 ± 1.34)% in the control group (P < 0. 01 ) ;the expressions of MMP-2 mRNA, MMP-9 mRNA and their proteins were 8.6, 6.8, 10.5, 8.4, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the groups of the doses of 0 ～ 40 μmol/L ( P < 0. 05 ). Conclusions GABA could influence the proliferation and expression of MMP of SW1990 cells.