TAK1 is located upstream of MAPK and IKB kinases.24 A significant body of evidence suggests that the TGF‐β signalling pathway mediates acute renal injury25, 26 and that p38 and ERK, as members of the MAPK family, play a crucial role in autophagy.20 Therefore, we hypothesized that TAK1 might regulate the p38 and ERK signalling pathways to mediate autophagy involved in the mechanism of cisplatin‐induced AKI. This evidence concerns the gene TGFB1 and acute kidney injury.