During monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation, the cellular content of vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) increases more than 4-fold. We have shown previously that amplified expression of the B2 subunit of the V-ATPase occurs solely by increased transcription, and that the 5'-untranslated region of the B2 gene, containing multiple consensus binding sites for the transcription factors AP-2 and Sp1, is required for this expression. The present study demonstrates that AP-2 binding sequences are essential for increased transcription from the B2 promoter during monocyte-macrophage differentiation and that AP-2, expressed exogenously in THP-1 and other cells, activates transcription from the B2 promoter. In mobility shift assays, a nuclear factor from THP-1 and U-937 cells was identified that binds to several AP-2 response elements within the B2 promoter, but does not react with AP-2 antibodies, and has a DNA sequence binding affinity profile that differs from AP-2. These findings suggest that a novel AP-2-like transcription factor is responsible for V-ATPase B subunit amplification during monocyte differentiation.