Targeting on the podocyte immune response in diabetic nephropathy: from pathogenesis to therapy

The dysfunction of the glomerular filtration barrier (GFB) is a main feature of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Podocyte, terminally differentiated epithelial cell, is located on the outer of the glomerular basement membrane and play a pivotal role in maintaining the integrity of GFB. Damage in podocyte leads to proteinuria in the early stages of DN and eventually develops into chronic kidney disease. Podocyte expresses certain immune characteristics and this may predispose them to immune injury in diseases. Immune-mediated podocyte injury is a vital pathogenic mechanism in DN. Numerous evidence indicate that podocytes serve as a target of immune response in both innate and adaptive immunity, which mediate the podocyte injury in DN. In this mini-review, we focus on recent developments involving in the immune mechanisms of podocyte injury in DN and provide recent advances in the therapeutic strategy of podocyte protection. This review offers valuable opinions for understanding immune-related mechanisms in podocyte injury and identification of potential therapeutic targets, which have significant implications for future research and clinical treatment.