Aim To learn the effects of advanced glycation end products (AGE) on expression of scavenger receptor BI (SR-BI)in U937 macrophages. Methods U937 macrophages differentiated for 48 h were incubated with AGE. Immunocytochemical method and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect SR-BI protein and mRNA levels. Results Immunocytochemistry showed that after exposure of U937 macrophages to 100, 200 and 400 mg/L AGE, the average integrated optical density values of SR-BI protein expression were 18.94±3.56, 27.86±4.39 and 35.08±2.37 respectively, significantly higher than that in BSA group (13.76±3.74, p<0.05), the average integrated optical density values of SR-BI protein expression in U937 macrophages following 400 mg/L AGE for 6, 12, 24, 48 h were 16.87±5. 65, 25.68±6.97, 35.08±8.37 and 39.68±9.37, higher than that in 0 h group (12.02±3.47, p<0.05). RT-PCR showed that expression of SR-BI mRNA was 0.32±0.03, 0.53±0.05, 0.64±0.04 and 0.89±0.05 in 400 mg/L BSA, 100, 200 and 400 mg/L AGE groups. SR-BI mRNA expression in U937 macrophages following 400 mg/L AGE for 0, 6, 12, 24, 48 h was 0.41±0.01, 0.62±0.05, 0.80±0.08, 0.87±0.05, 1.24±0.13, respectively. Conclusions U937 macrophages that were incubated in medium containing AGE showed an increase in the expression of SR-BI protein and mRNA in a time- and dose-dependent manner.