Glycated serum albumin (GSA) promotes vascular complications in diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine if GSA induces chemokine, particularly CXCL8 (IL-8), and to determine intracellular signaling pathways activated by GSA in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). GSA increased IL-8 transcription via promoter activation and enhanced CXCL8 release from VSMCs. GSA-induced promoter activation of the IL-8 gene was suppressed by dominant-negative mutants of TLR-4, MyD88, and TRIF, but not by a dominant-negative form of TLR-2. In addition, IL-8 up-regulation in response to GSA was inhibited by resveratrol, curcumin, diphenyleneiodium, U0126, and SB202190. Mutation at the NF-kappaB- or C/EBP-binding site, but not at the AP-1-binding site, in the IL-8 promoter region suppressed GSA-induced promoter activation. Moreover, gene delivery of IkappaB suppressed CXCL8 release. This study suggests that GSA induces expression of IL-8 in VSMCs and that TLR-4, mitogen-activated protein kinases, NF-kappaB, and NADPH oxidase are involved in that process.