Objective      To observe the effect of human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) injury induced by cholesterol on human aortic vascular endothelial cell (HA-VSMC) proliferation and migration.       Methods      HUVEC were treated with cholesterol at 12.5

25.0 and 50.0 mg/L for 24 h

and then the VSMCs were incubated with the medium of cultured HUVEC for 24 h. CCK-8 and scratch assay was applied to analyze VSMC viability

and migration. HUVEC and VSMC was co-cultured and treated with cholesterol at 12.5

25.0 and 50.0mg/L for 24 h. VSMC migration was detected by Transwell assay.       Results      Compared with the control group (1.37±0.01)

the proliferation of VSMCs incubated with the culture medium of HUVEC treated with cholesterol at 25.0 mg/L and 50.0 mg/L increased significantly (1.53±0.06 and 1.54±0.10

P

0.05). The culture medium of HUVEC subjected to cholesterol at 12.5

25.0 and 50.0 mg/L could induce VSMC migration (269.10±3.78

272.79±4.69 and 458.69±4.78)

which were significantly different from that of the control group (33.24±0.43

P

0.01). The co-culture of HUVEC and VSMC treated by cholesterol induced VSMC migration (175.00±4.63

182.00±4.13 and 207.00±5.59)

which were significantly different from that of the control group (101.00±2.33

P

0.01).       Conclusion      HUVEC

which is injured by cholesterol

can induce VSMC proliferation and migration.