Aim To investigate whether homocysteine (HCY) can induce cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (hUVEC) to express regulated upon activation, normal T expressed and secreted (RANTES) protein. Methods After exposure of the cultured hUVEC to HCY at increasing concentrations for 8 h, the RANTES protein expression was determined by immunocytochemistry and Western blot analysis. Results Cultured hUVEC could express RANTES protein. Immunocytochemistry showed the mean absorbance values of RANTES protein expression in hUVEC exposed to HCY at different concentrations (0.1, 0.5 and 1 mmol/L HCY) for 8 h were 0.0434±0.0063, 0.0788±0.0053 and 0.1061±0.0215, respectively, which were significantly higher than that of the control group (0.0200±0.0032). Analysis of variance proved a significant difference between groups (F=319.03, p<0.01). Western blot analysis displayed that exposure of hUVEC to HCY at gradient concentrations (0.1, 0.5 and 1 mmol/L) for 8 h resulted in a 2.29 fold, a 2.63 fold and a 2.78 fold increase in the expression of RANTES protein in the cells, compared with the control group. Conclusions The cultured hUVEC could express RANTES protein, and HCY was able to induce hUVEC to express RANTES protein at a higher level.