OBJECTIVE: To study the potential mechanism of TGF-β1 inhibiting the apoptosis of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). METHODS: The serum free medium was used for serum deprivation (SD); MTT assay was used to detect the effects of 0.1, 1, 5, 10 ng/ml TGF-β1 on the survival rate of PASMCs. The apoptosis of PASMCs were observed by Hoechst 33342 staining in normal control group, SD group, SD+LY294002 [PI3K inhibitor]+TGF-β1 group, SD+Wortmannin (PI3K inhibitor)+TGF-β1 group and SD+TGF-β1 group. Western blot technique was applied to investigate the protein expression of Akt and p-Akt in normal control group, SD group, TGF-β1 group and SD+TGF-β1 group; the protein expression of CREB and p-CREB were investigated in normal control group, SD group, SD+TGF-β1 group, SD+LY294002 group and SD+LY294002+TGF-β1 group; the protein expression of CREB and p-CREB were investigated in normal control group, SD group, SD+TGF-β1 group, SD+Wortmannin group and SD+Wortmannin+TGF-β1 group. The concentrations of LY294002, Wortmannin and TGF-β1 were 10 μmol/L, 50 nmol/L, 10 ng/ml, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with SD, survival rate of PASMCs increased as dosage after treated by TGF-β1, with statistical significance at 5, 10 ng/ml (P<0.05). Compared with normal control group, apoptotic rate of PASMCs increased in SD group, SD+LY294002+TGF-β1 group and SD+Wortmannin+TGF-β1 group (P<0.05); compared with SD group, the apoptotic rate of PASMCs decreased in SD+TGF-β1 group (P<0.05). Compared with normal control group, the protein expression of p-Akt and p-Akt/Akt ratio increased in TGF-β1 group; compared with SD group, the protein expression of p-Akt and p-Akt/Akt ratio increased in SD+TGF-β1 group. Compared with normal control group, the protein expression of CREB decreased in SD group; compared with SD group, the protein expression of CREB increased in SD+TGF-β1 group; compared with SD+TGF-β1 group, the protein expression of CREB decreased in SD+LY294002+TGF-β1 group and SD+Wortmannin+TGF-β1 group, with statistical significance (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TGF-β1 can inhibit the apoptosis of PASMCs by activating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.