LATS1 and diabetic kidney disease: The above results indicate that miR-146b-5p can downregulate the target protein Merlin and inhibit Lats1 in the Hippo pathway, thereby promoting nuclear expression of YAP and deposition of α-SMA, suggesting that miR-146b-5p can accelerate the fibrotic process of DKD by targeting the Merlin/YAP axis.