AimTo investigate the effect of atorvastatin on mRNA expression of liver X receptor α (LXRα) and its target gene ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) after treated by lipopolysacharide(LPS).MethodsHuman umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured in vitro with gibco 1640 medium and 10 percent fetal bovine serum and 1 percent double antibiotics, and then were plated in 6-well plates at a denisity of approximately 2×105 cells per milliliter of media to be intervened.(1)Control group: HUVEC were cultured with the completed medium involving phosphate buffered saline (PBS), and LPS treated group or control intervention group: HUVEC were treated with LPS (the terminal concentration was 100 μg/L) for 24 hours; (2)Atorvastatin intervention group or control intervention group:HUVEC were first treated with atorvastatin at different concentrations (0.1, 1.0, 10.0 μmol/L) or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 2 hours, and then co-treated with LPS for 22 hours.The level of LXRα and its target genes mRNA expression were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction.ResultsCompared with control group, LPS could inhibit the mRNA expression of LXRα and its target genes ABCA1, SREBP-1 in HUVEC.The differences were statistically significant (p<0.05).Compared with LPS plus DMSO group, atorvastatin could upregulate the mRNA expression of LXRα and its target gene mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner.The differences were statistically significant (p<0.05).Meanwhile, atorvastatin could downregulate the mRNA expression of inflammatory factor and adhesion factors in a dose-dependent manner.