Bovine type I collagen (Col-I) is utilized for medical purposes such as cosmetic surgery and wrinkle removal. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays roles in pathophysiological processes including inflammation and tumorigenesis. This study examines the effects of Col-I on the COX-2 expression and the signaling pathways in macrophages. Col-I increased the levels of COX-2 protein and mRNA in serum-stimulated Raw264.7 cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Treatment of cells with Col-I increased CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) DNA binding. Antibody supershift experiments revealed that C/EBP DNA binding activity induced by Col-I depended largely on C/EBPbeta and C/EBPdelta. Immunocytochemistry showed that Col-I induced nuclear translocation of C/EBPbeta and C/EBPdelta, whose activation contributes to COX-2 induction. Overexpression of the dominant-negative mutant form of C/EBP abolished COX-2 induction by Col-I. Col-I also increased cyclic-AMP response element binding protein (CREB) binding to DNA. Inhibition of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) or downstream phosphoinositide 3-kinase and p70S6 kinase by specific chemical inhibitors prevented COX-2 induction by Col-I, and C/EBP and CREB from binding to their consensus DNA oligonucleotides. Experiments using chemical inhibitors or dominant-negative mutant vectors showed that the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathways including p38-kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), but not c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK1), simultaneously regulated COX-2 induction by Col-I. This was in agreement with inhibition of Col-I-inducible C/EBP and CREB DNA binding by concomitant treatment with SB203580 and PD98059. These results provide evidence that Col-I induces COX-2 in serum-stimulated macrophages and that the multiple cell signaling pathways involving Src-focal adhesion kinase, phosphoinositide 3-kinase, and MAP kinases regulate COX-2 induction by Col-I via C/EBP and CREB activation.