Fig. 5.

Expression of dominant negative c-Jun strengthens celastrol inhibition of cadmium (Cd)-induced neuronal cell death. Over-expression of FLAG-tagged dominant negative c-Jun by infection of pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells with Ad-dn-c-Jun, as detected by western blotting with antibodies to FLAG, obviously attenuated Cd-induced phosphorylation of c-Jun and expression of cleaved-caspase-3 protein (a), and blots for cleaved-caspase-3 were semi-quantified (b). Ectopic expression of dn-c-Jun also partially rescued cells from death induced by Cd (c). Addition of celastrol exhibited more significant inhibition on Cd-induced activation of c-Jun and cell death in Ad-dn-c-Jun group than in Ad-GFP group (a–c). Results are presented as mean ± SE; n = 3–5. ^ap < 0.05, difference with control group; ^bp < 0.05, Ad-dn-c-Jun group versus Ad-GFP group.