AIM: To investigate the effects of adenovirus-mediated human tissue kallikerin (Ad-hKLK1) gene delivery on the proliferation, migration of VSMC_(SHR) induced by platelet derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB). METHODS: The VSMC_(SHR) proliferation induced by PDGF-BB was accessed by cell counting and methyl thiazolyl tetrazoliuin (MTT). The migration was assessed by modified Boyden chamber assay. Western blotting was used to determine the expressions of the cycle-independent kinase inhibitors p27~(Kip1) and p21~(Cip1).RESULTS: Proliferation of VSMC_(SHR) induced by PDGF-BB was inhibited after transfection of Ad-hKLK1 (20-100 MOI) in a MOI-dependent manner. The peak inhibition titer of Ad-hKLK1 fell on 100 MOI, with the peak inhibition rate of 39.3% (cell counting, n=3, P<0.01), 30.2% (MTT, n=3, P<0.01), peak stunning rate of cell-cycle in phase G0/G1 at 36.4%. The inhibitory effects of proliferation and cell-cycle caused by hKLK1 gene delivery were significantly abolished by Hoe140, a bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist. Migration of VSMC_(SHR) induced by PDGF-BB was inhibited after hKLK1 gene delivery, with the peak inhibitory rate of 34.6% (n=6, P<0.01). However the inhibitory effects of migration were not blocked by Hoe140. The protein expression of p27~(Kip1) and p21~(Cip1) increased significantly after the hKLK1 gene delivery, whereas Hoe140 nearly completely blocked these effects (n=3, P<0.01, respectively).CONCLUSION: The hKLK1 gene delivery may inhibit the proliferation and migration of VSMC_(SHR) induced by PDGF-BB. Bradykinin B2 receptor probably mediates the up-regulating expression of p27~(Kip1) and p21~(Cip1) that contributes to the inhibitory effects of proliferation of hKLK1. However, the inhibitory effects of migration by hKLK1 gene delivery may not be mediated by bradykinin B2 receptor.