The overexpression of WISP-1 increased the expression of LC3-II and Beclin-1 and exacerbated renal fibrosis in UUO models and TGF-β-treated tubular epithelial cells, which was abolished by anti-WISP-1 antibody and small interfering RNA (Yang et al., 2020). Here, CCN4 is linked to renal fibrosis.