Objective       To investigate whether nifedipine increases macrophage reverse cholesterol transport in ApoE

-/-

mice and its effect on the expression of related genes.       Methods        Sixteen eight-week-old male ApoE

-/-

mice (fed with high fat and cholesterol) were randomly divided into 2 groups

control group and nifedipine group. RAW264.7 macrophages were loaded wi

th cholesterol by incubation with acetylated-LDL

labeled with [

3

H

]

-cholesterol

and then intraperitoneally injected into the mice. The blood samples were collected in 24 and 48 h after injection

the tissues and feces were collected in 48 h

and plasma concentrations of lipids

including TC

TG

LDL and HDL

were measured by biochemistry analyzer. Blood and feces were analyzed for tracer counts using a liquid scintillation counter. Related mRNA and protein levels of several well-characterized proteins involved in reverse cholesterol transportation

including ABCA1

ABCG1

SR-BⅠ and LXRα

were detected by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting.       Results        There was no significant difference in plasma lipid concentrations between the 2 groups（

P

0.05）. The amount of [

3

H

]

-tracer were 37.02% and 22.72% higher respective in the 24 and 48 h plasma than in control group

and was 43.18% higher in 48 h feces than in control group (

P

0.5). The expression of related genes and proteins was all significantly enhanced in the nifedipine group than in the control group.       Conclusion        Nifedipine promotes the macrophage reverse cholesterol transportation through the stimulation of LXRα-dependent expression of ABCA1

ABCG1 and SR-BⅠ.