SMAD3 and type 2 diabetes mellitus: A recent study demonstrated that 8 weeks of aerobic exercise (30–50 min/day, six times/week for 8 weeks) improved renal interstitial fibrosis in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) mice by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway through the upregulation of Sirt1 expression [72].