Chronic pancreatitis, K-ras oncogene mutations, and the subsequent generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) appear to be linked to pancreatic cancer. ROS have also been suggested to be mitogenic and capable of stimulating cell proliferation. Cells contain antioxidant enzymes to regulate steady state levels of ROS produced by products of metabolism. The aims of our study were to determine antioxidant enzyme activity in pancreatic cancer cells and correlate enzyme activity with tumor growth, as well as determine whether tumor cell growth could be altered with antioxidant gene transfection. Western blots, enzyme activity, and enzyme activity gels were performed for manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), copper/zinc, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in normal human pancreas and in the human pancreatic cancer cell lines BxPC-3, Capan-1, MIA PaCa-2, and AsPC-1. Cell population doubling times were determined and correlated with antioxidant enzyme activity. MnSOD was overexpressed in MIA PaCa-2 using an adenoviral vector, and the effect on cell growth was determined. The cell pancreatic cancer lines BxPC-3, MIA PaCa-2, and AsPC-1 had decreased levels of MnSOD immunoreactive protein as well as activity and decreases in MnSOD levels correlated well with increased rates of tumor cell proliferation as determined by cell doubling time. No correlation could be found between cell growth and levels of copper/zinc superoxide dismutase, catalase, or glutathione peroxidase. Enforced expression of MnSOD by adenovirus transfection in the rapid growing cell line MIA PaCa-2 increased MnSOD immunoreactivity and MnSOD activity and decreased growth rate. Overexpression of MnSOD may be effective in growth suppression of pancreatic cancer.