Cells receive signals for survival as well as death, and the balance between the two ultimately determines the fate of the cells. UV-triggered apoptotic signaling has been well documented, whereas UV-induced survival effects have received little attention. We have reported previously that UVB irradiation prevented apoptosis, which was partly dependent on activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase)/ Akt pathway. In this study, anti-apoptotic effects of UV with different wavelength ranges, UVA, UVB and UVC, were examined. NIH3T3 cells showed apoptotic cell death by detachment from the extracellular matrix under serum-free conditions, which was prevented by all wavelengths. However, the effect of UVA was less than those of UVB and UVC. Reduction of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and activation of caspase-9 and -3 were suppressed by all three wavelengths of UV, showing wavelength-dependent effects as mentioned above. The PI3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin partially inhibittrl the UVB and UVC-induced suppression of apoptosis, but not the inhibitoty effect of UVA. The Akt phosphotylation by UVB and UVC was completely inhibittrl by addition of wortmannin, but that by UVA was not P38 MAP kinase inhibitor SB203580 partially inhibited the UVB and UVC-induced suppression of apoptosis and Akt phosphotylation, and completely inhibited UVA-induced those. These results suggested the existence of two different survival pathways leading to suppression of apoptosis, one for UVA that is independent of the PI3-kinase/Akt pathway and dependent on p38 MAP kinase, and the other for UVB and UVC that is dependent on both pathways.