The expression of fibrosis factors, α-SMA and collagen I, increased in DN kidney and decreased after treatments with anti-VEGFR2 F(ab′)2 and anti-VEGFR2 F(ab′)2-SS31 We further tested the leading cytokines involved in fibrosis, transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1)36 and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF)37 by ELISA (Supplementary Fig. 7b, c). This evidence concerns the gene CCN2 and liver dysplastic nodule.