HMOX1 and renal fibrosis: It improves renal function in DN rats by regulating the oxidative status via modulating the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) [11], it attenuates the progression of DN in rats with T2DM via suppressing TGF-β1/Smad-mediated renal fibrosis, and protects rat mesangial cells (MCs) from high glucose (HG) induction.