Renal
fibrosis is the final common pathway of all progressive renal disease. Excessive and chronic activation of the Wnt/β-
catenin signaling pathway results in
chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. To mimic CKD, the present study used 5/6-nephrectomized rats, and alterations in kidney histology, expression of β‑catenin and renal cell apoptosis were assessed. In addition, mesangial cells were cultured in vitro and transfected with β‑catenin
siRNA to evaluate the effect of blocking Wnt/β‑catenin signaling on cell apoptosis and the expression of markers of renal
fibrosis. The results demonstrated that CKD rat kidney tissues exhibited moderate renal
fibrosis and significantly increased expression levels of β‑catenin and apoptosis associated
proteins compared with sham‑operated rats. In vitro, silencing of β-
catenin by
siRNA attenuated
tumor necrosis factor‑α‑induced apoptosis and decreased
mRNA expression levels of various markers of
fibrosis, including
fibronectin, transforming growth factor‑β, and
collagen I, III and IV. In conclusion, inhibition of Wnt/β‑catenin signaling by β‑catenin silencing attenuated apoptosis and expression of
fibrosis-associated markers in renal cells. The present study suggested that the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway may serve as a potential treatment strategy for renal fibrotic disorders.