Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activation by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) attenuates the TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis pathway. Thus, blockage of NF-kappaB activity may improve the anti-cancer activity of TNF-alpha. HA14-1 induces apoptosis in various human cancer cells, and the molecular mechanisms of this action remain to be fully characterized. The present study evaluated the involvement of NF-kappaB, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the effects of HA14-1 by examining the sensitization effect on TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis in human leukemia cells. Such sensitization is closely associated with the inhibitory effect of HA14-1 on TNF-alpha-mediated NF-kappaB activation. HA14-1 suppressed NF-kappaB activation through inhibition of phosphorylation and degradation of IkappaBalpha. This inhibition was correlated with suppression of NF-kappaB-dependent gene products (c-myc, cyclin D1, cox-2, and IAP-1). Additionally, the present findings provide evidence of a critical role of ROS accumulation induced by HA14-1 in TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis. Moreover, HA14-1 also markedly sustained TNF-alpha-mediated JNK activation. A specific JNK inhibitor abolished the sensitization effect of HA14-1 on TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis. Taken together, these results indicate that ROS and JNK represent important signals in HA14-1 sensitization in TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis.