Granulocytes and mononuclear phagocytes develop from the same myeloid progenitor cells in the bone marrow via distinct differentiation pathways. Yet, it is known that mature macrophages are more resistant than granulocytes to spontaneous apoptosis in cultures without hematopoietic growth factors. This fact suggests that the development of resistance to apoptosis during myeloid differentiation is differentially regulated by a lineage-dependent mechanism. Using primary cultures of human bone marrow cells, we now report that induction of monocytic differentiation into mature macrophages with M-CSF was correlated with a steady and gradual increase in the levels of X-chromosome-linked inhibitor of apotosis (XIAP) and Bcl-2, while induction of granulocytic differentiation with G-CSF had no significant effects on the expression of these proteins. Consistent with this, NF-kappaB activation is linked to monocytic, but not granulocytic differentiation, while ERK or STAT3 activation is not lineage-dependent. Blockade of NF-kappaB activation in mature macrophages resulted in a marked decrease in the levels of XIAP and Bcl-2, which was accompanied with cell death through an apoptotic mechanism. Thus lineage-dependent activation of NF-kappaB is responsible at least in part for the resistance of mature macrophages to 'spontaneous' apoptosis in vitro.