Firstly, the results showed that mRNA expression of AP1, BACH1, CDC5, FAC1, FOXJ2, IRF1, POU3F2, SOX5, SOX9 and TGIF1 in renal tubulointerstitium reversely correlated with GFR in DN patients (Fig. 5), suggesting that those transcription factor genes may contribute to the progression of DN. Here, SOX5 is linked to liver dysplastic nodule.