Nerve injury triggers numerous changes in the injured neurons and surrounding nonneuronal cells that ultimately result in successful target reinnervation or cell death. c-Jun is a component of the heterodimeric AP-1 transcription factor, and c-Jun is highly expressed in response to neuronal trauma. Here we have investigated the role of c-jun during axonal regeneration using mice lacking c-jun in the central nervous system. After transection of the facial nerve, the absence of c-Jun caused severe defects in several aspects of the axonal response, including perineuronal sprouting, lymphocyte recruitment, and microglial activation. c-Jun-deficient motorneurons were atrophic, resistant to axotomy-induced cell death, and showed reduced target muscle reinnervation. Expression of CD44, galanin, and alpha7beta1 integrin, molecules known to be involved in regeneration, was greatly impaired, suggesting a mechanism for c-Jun-mediated axonal growth. Taken together, our results identify c-Jun as an important regulator of axonal regeneration in the injured central nervous system.

Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) are essential for neuronal microtubule assembly and apoptosis. Phosphorylation of the activating protein 1 (AP1) transcription factor c-Jun, at multiple sites within its transactivation domain, is required for JNK-induced neurotoxicity. We report that in neurons the stability of c-Jun is regulated by the E3 ligase SCF(Fbw7), which ubiquitinates phosphorylated c-Jun and facilitates c-Jun degradation. Fbw7 depletion resulted in accumulation of phosphorylated c-Jun, stimulation of AP1 activity, and neuronal apoptosis. SCF(Fbw7) therefore antagonizes the apoptotic c-Jun-dependent effector arm of JNK signaling, allowing neurons to tolerate potentially neurotoxic JNK activity.

c-Jun is a member of the AP-1 family of transcription factors, the activity of which is strongly augmented by TCR signaling. To elucidate the functions of c-Jun in mouse thymic lymphopoiesis, we conditionally inactivated c-Jun specifically during early T cell development. The loss of c-Jun resulted in enhanced generation of γδ T cells, whereas αβ T cell development was partially arrested at the double-negative 3 stage. The increased generation of γδ T cells by loss of c-Jun was cell autonomous, because in a competitive reconstitution experiment the knockout-derived cells produced more γδ T cells than did the control cells. C-jun-deficient immature T cells failed to efficiently repress transcription of IL-7Rα, resulting in augmented IL-7Rα mRNA and surface levels. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed binding of c-Jun to AP-1 binding sites present in the IL-7Rα promoter, indicating direct transcriptional regulation. Thus, c-Jun controls the transcription of IL-7Rα and is a novel regulator of the αβ/γδ T cell development.