BECN1 and diabetes mellitus: Compared to the control kidney and pancreas, the expressions of autophagy mediated proteins, Beclin-1 and LC3-B, pyroptosis mediated proteins, IL-1β, and apoptosis related proteins, Bax, caspase 3 and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, were significantly higher in DM and were lowered in T1, T2 and T5 (p < 0.05) (Figure 8).