Molecular Mechanisms and Treatment Strategies in Diabetic Kidney Disease
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) worldwide, representing a significant global health burden. Its pathophysiology is highly complex, involving multiple kidney compartments, including the glomeruli, the tubule-interstitial region, and the vasculature system. Key mechanisms driving DKD progression include oxidative stress, characterized by an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidative defenses. These disturbances not only exacerbate oxidative damage but also contribute to inflammation, cell death, senescence, dysregulated autophagy, and fibrosis, amplifying the progression of renal injury.
The situation is further complicated by diabetes mellitus (DM)-related comorbidities such as hypertension and obesity, which intensify these pathological processes. Therefore, understanding the intricate interplay among oxidative stress and other mechanisms is crucial for identifying innovative therapeutic strategies to slow DKD progression and mitigate the overall burden of DM.
Goal
This Special Issue aims to foster a deeper exploration of strategies targeting oxidative stress and autophagy in DKD. It welcomes original research articles and comprehensive reviews that span preclinical and clinical studies, highlighting breakthroughs in pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches.
Potential topics of interest include the following:
- Pharmacological therapies: Investigations of established and emerging drugs such as biguanides, sulfonylureas, glinides, SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and insulin, used individually or in combination.
- Non-pharmacological strategies: Applications of cell therapies, including mesenchymal stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, kidney-derived progenitors, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), alongside cutting-edge methods such as organ-on-a-chip and organoid technologies.
- Innovative molecular approaches: Advances in using nanoparticles, siRNA, genome editing (e.g., CRISPR-Cas9), and both viral and non-viral gene therapy to modulate oxidative stress, inflammation, cell death, senescence, autophagy, and fibrosis.
Scope
This Special Issue seeks to bridge the gap between basic molecular research and clinical applications in DKD. By highlighting studies that integrate mechanistic insights with therapeutic innovations, it aims to attract manuscripts addressing the following:
- Molecular mechanisms of oxidative stress, inflammation, cell death, fibrosis, and autophagy in DKD pathophysiology.
- Translational studies employing preclinical models or clinical data to evaluate treatment efficacy.
- Novel multidisciplinary approaches to DKD management, emphasizing their potential for clinical implementation.
Through this collection, we aspire to provide a comprehensive understanding of the evolving landscape of DKD research, emphasizing the potential of targeting oxidative stress, inflammation, cell death, senescence, autophagy, and fibrosis to improve patient outcomes.
Dr. Érika Bevilaqua Rangel
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- diabetic kidney disease
- oxidative stress
- autophagy
- inflammation
- fibrosis
- cell therapy
- SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 agonists
- mesenchymal stem cells
- gene therapy
- translational nephrology
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