SMAD2 and familial hypercholesterolemia: Our data showed that, in diabetic mice, gene expressions of TGF-β1, Smad2, and Smad3 (Figure 6A,B) were significantly (p < 0.05) increased as compared with the control mice, suggesting a role of the TGF-β/Smad cell signaling pathway in hypercholesterolemia-induced pyroptosis and diabetic progression.