Abstract: Objective To investigate the effects of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), an inhibitor of histone deacetylase, on the cell proliferation, cell migration and apoptosis of pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells. To observe the changes of vasculogenic mimicry dominated by pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells and the expression level of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in PANC-1 cells which treated with different concentrations of SAHA. Methods Inverted microscope was used to observe the effect of a series of concentrations of SAHA in cell proliferation of pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells. MTT colormetric assay was performed to measure the inhibitory effect of different concentration of SAHA treatment for 24 h on human pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells. Cell scratch test and was used to measure the effect of SAHA on the migration abilities of PANC-1 cells, and then, we use flow cytometry to analyze the effect of SAHA on cell apoptosis. PANC-1 cells were treated with the different concentration of SAHA for 24 h, vasculogenic-like networks were formed in three-dimensional culture in vitro, then we observe the changes in the structures of vasculogenic-like network. Western blotting was used to study the expression level of MMP-2 in pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells with the different concentration of SAHA treatment. Results SAHA could significantly inhibit the proliferation of pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells and showed the dose-dependent relationships. Cell scratch test showed that SAHA could effectively inhibit the migration of PANC-1 cells compared to the control group (P<0.01). Flow cytometry showed that SAHA could obviously induce the apoptosis of pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells. Three-dimensional culture in vitro showed that SAHA could significantly inhibit vasculogenic mimicry dominated by pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells (P<0.05). Western blotting showed that with the increase concentration of SAHA, the expression level of MMP-2 in PANC-1 cells of pancreatic cancer decreased (P<0.05). Conclusion SAHA can effectively inhibit the proliferation and migration of PANC-1 cells leads to cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, the down-regulation of MMP-2's expression caused by SAHA may be one of the mechanisms of it's anti-tumor mimicry in pancreatic cancer.