SMAD2 and renal fibrosis: Taken all data together, our results suggest that loss of Chop attenuates the production of IL-1β, thereby preventing UUO-induced renal fibrosis not only directly through suppression of TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling, but also by inhibition of Pi3k/Akt signaling, which has been demonstrated relevant to the initiation of EMT.17