Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture(EA)intervention on renal function and expression of renalβ-catenin in rats with chronic renal failure(CRF)

so as to reveal its mechanism underlying improvement of CRF.Methods Male SD rats were randomly divided into normal

model and EA groups

with 10 rats in each group.CRF model was induced by feeding the rats with 0.5% Adenine(100mg/d

in forage)for 21 days.EA(1-3mA

1.5-2Hz)was applied to bilateral"Sanyinjiao"(SP 6)

"Taixi"(KI 3)and"Shenshu"(BL 23)for 20 min

once daily for 30 days.Serum creatinine(Scr)and blood urine nitrogen(BUN)contents were assayed by enzymatic method and deoxy enzymatic method

respectively

and the expression ofβ-catenin protein in the renal tissue was determined by Western blot.Results Following modeling

serum Scr and BUN contents and renalβ-catenin protein expression level were significantly increased in the model group in comparison with those of the normal group(P<0.05).After EA intervention

serum Scr and BUN contents and the expression ofβ-catenin in the renal tissue were all significantly decreased in the EA group compared to the model group(P<0.05).In addition

the animals' body weight values of both model and EA groups were apparently lower than those of the normal group before EA treatment(P<0.05).After EA intervention

the body weight values of the EA group were markedly higher than those of the model group in spite of being still lower than normal rats(P<0.05).Conclusion EA can effectively suppress CRF-induced increase of serum Scr and BUN contents and renalβ-catenin protein expression in CRF rats

suggesting an improvement of the renal function after EA intervention by reducing the expression ofβ-catenin in the renal tissue.