Objective To study the inhibition of neutrophil apoptosis induced by interleukin-6 (IL-6) and evaluate the effect of propofol on IL-6 induced inhibition of neutrophils apoptosis. Methods Neutrophils were isolated from 20 healthy volunteers( 20-55 yr) and incubated in RPMI1640 cell culture medium . Neutrophils from each volunteer were divided into 6 parts and incubated with NS (group Ⅰ -control), IL-6(group Ⅱ), propofol( group Ⅲ), intralipid (the lipid vehicle of propofol-group Ⅳ ), IL-6 + propofol(group Ⅴ), IL-6 + intralipid(group Ⅵ ) respectively. After 24 h of incubation, neutrophils were stained with acridine orange and ethidium bromide and observed under fluorescence microscope. Apoptosis index was calculated.Results IL-6 inhibited neutrophil apoptosis (IL-6 35.80 ?8.59 vs control 52.00?10.60, P