BACKGROUND: It is indicated in research that mildly modified low density lipoprotein (mm-LDL) is related to atherogenesis and it not only stores LDL and provides very strong biological activity, but also expresses many kinds of bioactive substances, like macrophage colony stimulating factor (MCSF) induced in cell culture and in animal body.OBJECTIVE: Differential display-PCR (DD-PCR) technique is used to study the genetic expressed difference in mm-LDL inducing vascular endothelial cells so as to lay the foundation for further explanation of the relationship between mm-LDL and arteriosclerosis.DESIGN: Repeated measurement was designed.SETTING: Taishan Medical College.MATERIALS: The experiment was performed in Basic Institute of Taishan Medical College from July 2003 to July 2004. Medium of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was M199. Culture was done at 37 ℃, in 50 mL/L CO2. When cells grew to the fusion state, mm-LDL was added in the medium to the terminal concentration of 400 mg/L and then,induction was followed in 30 hours.METHODS: DD- reverse transcription (RT)-PCR technique was used to analyze genetic expression difference of human vascular endothelial cells induced with mm-LDL and reverse Northern analysis was performed to testify DD genetic fragments.mRNA in liver of mice.RESULTS: Human vascular endothelial cells induced with inm-LDL displayed some up and down-regulated genetic fragments. Up-regulated genes included thymosin 34, FGFRI protooncogene-chaperone protein, FK506 binding protein, rTSβ protein and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (Ⅰ-CAM-1). Down-regulated genes included Apo bec-1 binding protein-l, cytochromeB561 and ERP72.CONCLUSION: DDRT-PCR testifies that mm-LDL induces changes of some genetic expression of human umbilicus vein endothelial cells in vitro and pathological changes of mm-LDL vascular endothelial cells, terminally results in atherogenesis.