Aim To study the rosiglitazone on the expression of ATP binding cassette transporter A1(ABCA1) mRNA and protein in monocytes of coronary heart disease. Methods Monocytes were isolated by density gradient method from blood of coronary heart disease,and then incubated with 0,0.1,1.0 and 10.0 μmol/L rosiglitazone for 24 h,total RNA of monocytes were abstracted,reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) were performed to inspect the expression of ABCA1,peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ(JPPARγ) and liver X receptor α(LXRα) mRNA,Western blot were performed to inspect the expression of ABCA1 protein level. Results Rosiglitazone could increase the expression of ABCA1 mRNA and protein in monocytes(p<0.05).Rosiglitazone increased the expression of JPPARγ and LXRα mRNA in monocytes too(p<0.05). Conclusions Rosiglitazone could likely via JPPARγ-LXRα-ABCA1 pathway increase the expression of ABCA1 mRNA and protein in monocytes.It implied that rosiglitazone might play an important role in the prevention of atherosclerosis by increasing the gene expression of ABCA1.