STAT3 and chronic kidney disease: In a vancomycin-induced AKI mouse model, mutations in EGFR or inactivation of EGFR with gefitinib prevents the AKI-CKD transition via the STAT3/homeodomain interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) axis.141 TGF-β is another key mediator that links AKI to CKD, although it has anti-inflammatory effects in certain conditions.