A dominant negative form of c-Jun protects neurons from apoptosis induced by 3-NP. Primary striatal neurons were transfected with GFP alone or in combination with a dominant negative form of c-Jun (Δc-Jun, lacking the first 169 amino acids). A, Transfected neurons were visualized by GFP (top panels, green). In cotransfected neurons (bottom panels), detection of Δc-Jun expression was performed using an antibody that recognizes the FLAG epitope. The coexpression of GFP and Δc-Jun is shown in yellow. Note the protection from 3-NP-induced neuritic retraction and nuclear condensation in cells cotransfected with GFP and Δc-Jun.Insets, Corresponding Hoechst staining in these neurons.B, Quantification of neurite retraction from transfected cells. C, Quantification of transfected neurons having condensed or fragmented nuclei. Data are representative of three independent experiments (for each experiment, ∼500 transfected neurons were analyzed). Statistical analysis ***p< 0.001 when comparing controls (Ct) with3-NP treatment; ^###p < 0.001 when comparing 3-NP-treated neurons transfected with GFP alone or withGFP+Δc-Jun (Scheffé test).