Objective To investigate the protective effect of interleukin-8 (IL-8) on high glucose induced injury of human adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAdMSC) induced by high glucose. Methods High glucose model with 250 mmol/l glucose medium was established. In IL-8 transfection group, human IL-8 gene was transfected into hAdMSC by p65 plasmid. In the control group, and P65 plasmid was transfected, and in Erk Inhibitor group, PD98059 was added into IL-8 transfection group. MTT cell proliferation assay, ELISA and flow cytometry was used to detect hAdMSC proliferation of the optical density (OD) or Caspase-3, Erk and VEGF protein. Results Compared with the p65 control group, OD of IL-8 transfection group was increased significantly and the proliferation of hAdMSC was increased, Caspase-3 protein expression was decreased, P < 0.01. Erk protein activity and VEGF protein in IL-8 transfected group were significantly higher than those in p65 control group, P < 0.01. But compared with the IL-8 group, OD of hAdMSC proliferation in Erk inhibitor group was decreased, expression of Caspase-3 protein was increased, P < 0.01. Conclusions In the high glucose environment, IL-8 plays a protective role for human adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells through the Erk signal pathway.