Among these, several fibrosis-related proteins such as fibronectin and matrix metalloproteinase, inflammatory process-related proteins including galectin-3 and caspase-1, and apoptosis-associated proteins including NF-κB, and LCN2 were concurrently elevated in CKD kidney tissues compared with their levels in sham-operated kidney (Fig. 3C). This evidence concerns the gene LCN2 and chronic kidney disease.