To investigate the functional consequences of cross-talk between multiple effectors of serotonin (5-HT) 1A receptor, we employed transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells. Activation of 5-HT 1A receptor stimulated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, Akt and nuclear transcription factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB). Stimulation of cells with 5-HT 1A receptor agonist induced a rapid but transient ERK1/2 phosphorylation followed by increased phosphorylation of Akt. Elevated Akt activity in turn suppressed Raf activity and induced a decline in ERK activation. The activation of ERK and Akt downstream of 5-HT 1A receptor was sensitive to inhibitors of Ras, Raf and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). Stimulation of 5-HT 1A receptor also resulted in activation of NF-kappaB through a decrease in inhibitor of nuclear transcription factor-kappaB. In support of the importance of 5-HT 1A receptor signaling for cell survival, inhibition of NF-kappaB facilitated caspase 3 activation and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, while treatment of cells with agonist inhibited caspase 3, DNA fragmentation and cell death. Both agonist-dependent NF-kappaB activation and cell survival were decreased by Akt Inhibitor II or by overexpression of dominant-negative Akt. These findings suggest a role for 5-HT 1A receptor signaling in the Ras/Raf-dependent regulation of multiple intracellular signaling pathways that include ERK and PI3K/Akt. Of these, only PI3K/Akt and NF-kappaB activation were required for 5-HT 1A receptor-dependent cell survival, implying that the relative distribution of signals between competing transduction pathways determines the functional outcome of 5-HT 1A receptor activation.