In contrast, CKD induced via renal embolization in addition to DM increased renal fibrosis, KIM1, NGAL, and UPCR in comparison to WT and DM alone (Fig. 1a–f), although the increase in NGAL and UPCR in DM-CKD vs DM alone failed to reach statistical significance (both p = 0.08). Here, LCN2 is linked to diabetes mellitus.