Objective To study the effect of PPARγ ligand troglitazone (TGZ) on invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer cells, and investigate the relationship of PPARγ ligand with gastric cancer.Methods The expression of PPARγ in gastric cancer cell line MGC803 were detected by immunofluorescence cytochemistry method. The effect of different density TGZ on proliferation activity and adhesion of gastric cancer cell were detected by MTT chromatometry. The effect of different ligands on invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer cell MGC803 were detected by invasion system in vitro. Results The expression of PPARγ mainly located in cell nucleus. TGZ inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cell, decreased cell adhesion, locomotory capacity and invasion to matrigel, which had time and dose-dependent relationship.When treatment with 0. 1,1.0 and 10μ mol/ L TGZ, inhibition ratio of invasion and metastasis of cell was 8.79% ,31.31% ,51.42% and 28.29% ,4. 27% ,59. 27% respectively, which had statistical significance compared with control group( P <0. 05). When treatment was 10μ mol/L TGZ, cell adhesion was 0. 32 ±0. 03, it was statistically significant higher than that in control group (0. 52 ± 0. 04, P < 0. 05 ). Conclusion Human gastric cancer cell line MGC803 expressed functional PPARγ protein. TGZ inhibited adhesion and invasion of MGC803 cell on ECM at different degree, the effect of combination of two ligands was evident, which mechanism of action needed to be further investigated.