ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of rapamycin on the expression of survivin and caspase-3 at mRNA level in K562 cells and the influence of rapamycin on K562 cell ultrastructure.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The effects of rapamycin at various concentration on K562 cell proliferation were analyzed by CCK8; the morphological characteristics of K562 cells was observed by transmission electron microscopy; the expression of survivin and caspase-3 at mRNA level in K562 cells treated with rapamycin was detected by RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The proliferation of K562 cells was significantly inhibited by rapamycin. The apoptosis level of K562 cells increased with increase of rapamycin concentration, the expression of survivin at mRNA level decreased with increase of rapamycin concentration (P < 0.05). The expression of caspase-3 at mRNA level increased with increase of rapamycin concentration.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Rapamycin can prornote K562 cell apoptosis through up-regulating caspase-3 level and reduceing survivin level.</p>