Aim To investigate the effect of advanced glycation end products(AGE) on the activation of nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB) in rat retinal microvascular endothelial cells(RMEC) of diabetic retinopathy and the protection of simvastatin. Methods Culturing RMEC in vitro and preparing advanced glycation end products-AGE-BSA.Cells were incubated with AGE-BSA,then NF-κB activation was detected by fluorescence microscope.Tube formation and the expression of monocyte chemotactic protein-1(MCP-1) in microvascular endothelial cells in the presence of simvastatin were studied. Results NF-κB was mainly in cytoplasm without AGE-BSA.After RMEC stimulated by AGE-BSA,NF-κB translocated into nucleus,and reached to the peak in 30 min.AGE-BSA could induce the expression of MCP-1 and tube formation.But obvious inhibitory effects were obtained after treatment with the use of simvastatin. Conclusions AGE is crucial in diabetic retinopathy in which the activation NF-κB is important.Simvastatin significantly reduced the AGE-BSA-induced MCP-1 expression and tube formation.