To investigate the potential mechanism for the downregulation of JLP during UUO induced renal fibrosis, we treated cultured HK-2 cells, in which JLP was abundantly expressed, with TNF-α, TGF-β1, and FGF-2, which are the key initiators of inflammatory and fibrotic lesions58,59. Here, TGFB1 is linked to renal fibrosis.