In the present study, it was observed that MMP-9 and MMP-2 mRNA expression in two pancreatic cancer cell lines decreased following treatment with α-mangostin, indicating that the inhibition of pancreatic cancer cell invasion by α-mangostin may be partly mediated by the downregulation of MMP-9 and MMP-2 expression. This evidence concerns the gene MMP2 and familial pancreatic carcinoma.