Objective To investigate the effect of TGF?β1 on the proliferation of lymphoma cells induced by M2 macrophages. Methods TGF?β1 was used to treat Jiyoye lymphoma cells, and MTT was used to determine the cell proliferation. Lymphoma cells were treated with M2 macrophage culture liquid supernatant and TGF?β1. MTT assay was used to assess the lymphoma cell proliferation, Transwell assay was used to assess the cell migration and invasion, and Western blot was perfomed to determine the levels of MMP?2, MMP?9, PCNA and Ki?67 proteins. Results The lymphoma cells after TGF?α treatment showed that the proliferation ability, the number of invaded cells and the number of migrated cells, and the levels of MMP?2, MMP?9, PCNA and Ki?67 were significantly decreased, compared with the untreated lymphoma cells ( P < 0.05). After treated with the supernatant of M2 type macrophage culture supernatant, the proliferation ability of lymphoma cells, the number of invaded cells and migrated cells, the levels of MMP?2, MMP?9, PCNA and Ki?67 proteins were significantly increased, compared with the untreated lymphoma cells ( P < 0.05). Compared with the lymphoma cells treated with culture medium supernatant of M2 macrophages alone, the lymphoma cells treated with TGF?β1 and M2 macrophage culture medium supernatant showed that the proliferation ability, number of invaded and migrated cells, and the protein levels of MMP?2, MMP?9, PCNA and Ki?67 were significantly increased ( P <0.05). Conclusions TGF?β1 can reduce the proliferation, invasion and migration of lymphoma cells induced by macrophages. The mechanism of action is related to the expression of MMP?2, MMP?9, PCNA and Ki?67 proteins.