Apicularen A, a macrolide isolated from the myxobacterial genus Chondromyces, suppressed the proliferation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60 cells), increased the release of lactate dehydrogenase and induced condensation and fragmentation of chromatin at 1 to 100 nM. In addition, it induced the DNA fragmentation, increased the percentage of annexin V-stained cells, and cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a substrate of caspase. In contrast, apicularen B, an N-acetylglucosamine glycoside of apicularen A, had no such effects at 100 nM. These findings indicated that apicularen A induces apoptosis in HL-60 cells by activating caspases. Phosphorylation of p44/42 MAPK, p38 MAPK and Akt was not induced by apicularen A at 100 nM, suggesting that the apicularen A-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells is not regulated by the activation of p44/42 MAPK, p38 MAPK or Akt. Furthermore, by acridine orange staining of the cells, it was suggested that apicularen A but not apicularen B inhibits vacuolar-type H+-ATPase.