Aim To investigate the expression of swiprosin-1 in atherosclerotic tissue and its influence on apoptosis and inflammatory factors expression in macrophages. Methods Establishment of atherosclerosis mouse model, RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of swiprosin-1 in atherosclerotic tissues. Treatment of macrophage THP-1, smooth muscle cell VSMC, endothelial cell EC-304 with ox-LDL, the expression levels of swiprosin-1 were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. Macrophage THP-1 was transfected with swiprosin-1 siRNA, and siRNA control, after ox-LDL treatment, apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, the expression of cleaved Caspase-3 and cleaved Caspase-9 were detected by Western blot, TNF-α and IL-6 in the supernatant of culture medium were detected by ELISA.Results The expression level of swiprosin-1 in atherosclerotic tissue was higher than that in normal tissue. The expression level of swiprosin-1 in macrophage THP-1 after ox-LDL treatment was the highest, in smooth muscle cell VSMC and endothelial cell EC-304 were very low. The apoptotic rate of macrophage THP-1 treated with ox-LDL was as high as 21.64%±1.88%, the expression levels of cleaved Caspase-3 and cleaved Caspase-9 in cells were increased, the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the supernatant of culture medium were also significantly increased. The apoptotic rate of macrophage THP-1 treated by ox-LDL after swiprosin-1 interference decreased to 15.25%±1.10%, the expression levels of cleaved Caspase-3 and cleaved Caspase-9 in cells were decreased, the contents of TNF-α and IL-6 in the supernatant of culture medium also decreased obviously. Conclusion Elevated expression of swiprosin-1 in atherosclerotic tissue, reducing swiprosin-1 expression could inhibit apoptosis and inflammatory cytokine secretion in macrophages induced by ox-LDL.