AimTo study cholesterol efflux of macrophages in patients with coronary heart disease after cholesterol load and its mechanism. MethodsPeripheral blood mononuclear cells were separated and induced to macrophages with phorbol ester in patients (test group) and normal individuals (control group).Cells incubated with ［³H］cholesterol for 24 h to charge cholesterol and then divided into 4 groups: control group＋normal serum, control group＋high-cholesterol serum, test group＋normal serum and experimental group＋high-cholesterol serum.ABCA1, ABCG1 expression, cholesterol efflux rates were detected.ResultsCompared with control group, monocyte/macrophage cholesterol efflux in experimental group was impaired.Oil Red O stain showed that the accumulation of intracellular lipid increased.The efflux of intracellular cholesterol decreased.But the expressions of ABCA1 and ABCG1 were not obvious.Compared with normal serum, high-cholesterol serum in the test group and control group significantly affected cholesterol efflux capacity.The accumulation of intracellular lipid increased.The efflux of intracellular cholesterol decreased.But the expressions of ABCA1 and ABCG1 were not obvious.ConclusionMacrophage cholesterol efflux in patients with coronary heart disease is impaired, which may be related to atherosclerosis-related vascular diseases.