Transfection of stable β-catenin (S33Y) increased nuclear β-catenin and phosphorylated Akt expression (A) and reduced the promoting effect of HG on caspase-3 and PARP activation (B), cell apoptosis (C), and reversed cell proliferation (D). Transfection of stable β-catenin (S33Y) increased nuclear β-catenin and phosphorylated Akt expression (A) and reduced the promoting effect of HG on caspase-3 and PARP activation (B), cell apoptosis (C), and reversed cell proliferation (D). Mesangial cells were subjected to transfection with wild-type or stable β-catenin cDNA. Stably transfected cell cultures were subjected to HG stress for 48 h. Immunoblotting of total caspase-3 and actin showed equal loadings and transfer for all lanes. P < 0.05, *vehicle and #HG-treated groups. Chun-Liang Lin et al. JASN 2006;17:2812-2820 ©2006 by American Society of Nephrology