TLR4 and diabetic kidney disease: Both systemic and localized renal inflammation are recognized as pivotal in DKD progression (12), wherein numerous novel pro-inflammatory signaling pathways have been implicated, including the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation (13), the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway (14), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway (15), adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase signaling pathway (16), and the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 signaling pathway (17).