TGFB1 and cardiac hypertrophy: It should be also stressed that angiotensin II cannot cause cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in absence of TGF-β, but can induce TGF-β synthesis, Smad 2/3 phosphorylation and Smad complex translocation into the cell nucleus and can increase active Smad 2/3 binding to DNA (Figure 1).