Aim To investigate the adhesion regulation effect of stromal cell-derived factor 1α (SDF-1α) on monocytes and endothelial cells induced by oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL). Methods SDF-1α mRNA and protein were measured by reverse transcript-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot respectively in endothelial cells. Cell counting was used to observe the effect of the monocytes and endothelial cells adhesion treated with ox-LDL or SDF-1α antibody. Results SDF-1α was hardly expressed in normal endothelium, but was up-regulated by ox-LDL in a dose and time dependent manner, It peaked at 25 mg/L ox-LDL for 48 h. The adhered amount of monocytes to endothelial cells were 190±15, 226±23, 280±14, 253±8 respectively responding to 1, 5 and 125 mg/L ox-LDL. And the amount was 104±10 in the control (P<0.05). While endothelial cells pretreated with ox-LDL were incubated with SDF-1α antibody with 0.01, 0.1, 1 μg/L respectively, the adhesion of monocytes was 202±17, 142±6, 115±12. It was lower than that of control group significantly (279±11; P<0.05). Conclusion SDF-1α is implicated in monocytes and endothelium cells adhesion.