Aim To investigate the influence of oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and pravastatin on expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in order to elucidate one of the molecular mechanisms of ox-LDL on pro-atherosclerosis and to explore non-lipid mechanism of pravastatin on anti-atherosclerosis. Methods HUVEC was incubated in vitro. Ox-LDL of 50 mg/L, 100 mg/L, 200 mg/L and pravastatin of 10 -6～-4 mol/L were co-incubated with HUVEC for 12 h, 24 h and 36 h respectively. The expression of ICAM-1 in protein level and mRNA level was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), flow cytometric technique and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results Ox-LDL induced ICAM-1 expression in HUVEC in concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner. Pravastatin exerted inhibitory effect on ox-LDL-induced ICAM-1 expression, which was also dosage-dependent and time-dependent. Conclusions Ox-LDL could induce or up-regulate ICAM-1 expression in HUVEC, which probably reflected a new mechanism of ox-LDL to atherogenesis. Pravastatin inhibited ox-LDL-induced ICAM-1 expression, which may crucially contribute to the clinical benefits of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors on coronary artery disease, beyond the cholesterol-lowering effects.