Similarly, other studies have also shown that in experimental diabetic kidney disease (DKD) Lrg1 gene expression induced in glomerular endothelial cells is involved in vascular rarefication and subsequent neovascularization and fibrosis, partly via activation of the p38 and TGF-β-SMAD1/5/8 pathway (52, 53, 87, 88). This evidence concerns the gene SMAD1 and diabetic kidney disease.