TGFB1 and diabetic kidney disease: Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a key mediator in DKD-related fibrotic progression, stimulating mesangial cells and renal tubular epithelial cells to synthesize ECM components and inhibiting ECM degradation enzyme activity, leading to excessive ECM accumulation and thus promoting glomerular sclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis [47].