AGT and glomerulosclerosis: Transforming growth factor-β is a critical factor in DN fibrosis through inducing glomerular and tubular cell hypertrophy and ECM accumulation, promoting glomerular sclerosis and renal interstitial fibrosis, and interacting with high glucose, angiotensin II (Ang II), and other profibrotic factors (Ziyadeh, 2004; Ko et al., 2013).