We attempted to determine the effects of a milieu rich in cholesterol molecules on expression of chemokine CXCL8. A high-cholesterol diet led to an increased transcription of the IL-8 gene in the arteries and elevated levels of CXCL8 in sera of ApoE(-/-) mice, compared with those of wild-type C57BL/6 mice. Treatment of THP-1 monocyte/macrophage cells with 27-hydroxycholesterol (270HChol) resulted in transcription of the IL-8 gene and increased secretion of its corresponding gene product whereas cholesterol did not induce expression of CXCL8 in THP-1 cells. 270HChol-induced transcription of the IL-8 gene was blocked by cycloheximide, but not by polymyxin B. Treatment of THP-1 cells with 270HChol caused translocation of p65 NF-kappa B subunit into the nucleus and up-regulation of CD88. Inhibition of NF-kappa B and CD88 using SN50 and W-54011, respectively, resulted in reduced transcription of the IL-8 gene and attenuated secretion of CXCL8 induced by 270HChol. We propose that oxidatively modified cholesterol like 270HChol, rather than cholesterol, is responsible for sustained expression of CXCL8 in monocytes/macrophages in atherosclerotic arteries. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.