The present study showed that PTEN gene transfection, together with the treatment of low concentration of rapamycin, had a higher growth inhibition effect and apoptosis induction effect in K562 cell, accompanied with the increased expression of PTEN mRNA and protein but decreased expression of mTOR, suggesting that rapamycin and PTEN might have synergic effect on inhibiting proliferation, promoting apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of leukemia cells via inhibiting the activity of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Here, PTEN is linked to leukemia.