SMAD2 and liver dysplastic nodule: These results indicated that HKC could inhibit the protein over-expressions of p-Akt, p-mTOR, p-p70S6K, and TGF-β1 in the kidneys of the early DN model rats, but had no significant effect on the protein expressions of p-PI3K, p-Smad2, and p-4EBP1.