Immune-mediated renal injury in diabetic kidney disease: from mechanisms to therapy

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is now recognized as a multifactorial disorder, driven by the interplay of metabolic dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and immune-mediated renal injury. This review comprehensively synthesizes recent advancements in understanding immune dysregulation as a central drive...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lingli Ma, Dianyuan Liu, Yue Yu, Zimeng Li, Qing Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Immunology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1587806/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850133131861950464
author Lingli Ma
Dianyuan Liu
Yue Yu
Zimeng Li
Qing Wang
author_facet Lingli Ma
Dianyuan Liu
Yue Yu
Zimeng Li
Qing Wang
author_sort Lingli Ma
collection DOAJ
description Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is now recognized as a multifactorial disorder, driven by the interplay of metabolic dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and immune-mediated renal injury. This review comprehensively synthesizes recent advancements in understanding immune dysregulation as a central driver of DKD pathogenesis, integrating molecular mechanisms with emerging therapeutic strategies. Innate immune activation, which includes macrophage polarization and adaptive immune perturbations, exacerbates glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis through cytokine storms and mitochondrial oxidative stress. Despite clinical guidelines emphasizing glycemic control and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibition, their limited efficacy in halting immune-mediated tubular atrophy highlights the unmet need for targeted immunotherapies. By connecting mechanistic discoveries to clinical translation, this work establishes a roadmap for the development of immune-centric therapies. Its critical synthesis of multi-omics data, clinical trial evidence, and preclinical models bridges the gap between laboratory discoveries and bedside applications, laying the groundwork for redefining DKD as a treatable immune-metabolic disorder.
format Article
id doaj-art-b52270e1fb91455691b195e36b6035cc
institution OA Journals
issn 1664-3224
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Immunology
spelling doaj-art-b52270e1fb91455691b195e36b6035cc2025-08-20T02:32:04ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242025-06-011610.3389/fimmu.2025.15878061587806Immune-mediated renal injury in diabetic kidney disease: from mechanisms to therapyLingli MaDianyuan LiuYue YuZimeng LiQing WangDiabetic kidney disease (DKD) is now recognized as a multifactorial disorder, driven by the interplay of metabolic dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and immune-mediated renal injury. This review comprehensively synthesizes recent advancements in understanding immune dysregulation as a central driver of DKD pathogenesis, integrating molecular mechanisms with emerging therapeutic strategies. Innate immune activation, which includes macrophage polarization and adaptive immune perturbations, exacerbates glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis through cytokine storms and mitochondrial oxidative stress. Despite clinical guidelines emphasizing glycemic control and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibition, their limited efficacy in halting immune-mediated tubular atrophy highlights the unmet need for targeted immunotherapies. By connecting mechanistic discoveries to clinical translation, this work establishes a roadmap for the development of immune-centric therapies. Its critical synthesis of multi-omics data, clinical trial evidence, and preclinical models bridges the gap between laboratory discoveries and bedside applications, laying the groundwork for redefining DKD as a treatable immune-metabolic disorder.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1587806/fullimmune celldiabetic kidney diseasemechanismstreatment methodsimmunotherapy
spellingShingle Lingli Ma
Dianyuan Liu
Yue Yu
Zimeng Li
Qing Wang
Immune-mediated renal injury in diabetic kidney disease: from mechanisms to therapy
Frontiers in Immunology
immune cell
diabetic kidney disease
mechanisms
treatment methods
immunotherapy
title Immune-mediated renal injury in diabetic kidney disease: from mechanisms to therapy
title_full Immune-mediated renal injury in diabetic kidney disease: from mechanisms to therapy
title_fullStr Immune-mediated renal injury in diabetic kidney disease: from mechanisms to therapy
title_full_unstemmed Immune-mediated renal injury in diabetic kidney disease: from mechanisms to therapy
title_short Immune-mediated renal injury in diabetic kidney disease: from mechanisms to therapy
title_sort immune mediated renal injury in diabetic kidney disease from mechanisms to therapy
topic immune cell
diabetic kidney disease
mechanisms
treatment methods
immunotherapy
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1587806/full
work_keys_str_mv AT linglima immunemediatedrenalinjuryindiabetickidneydiseasefrommechanismstotherapy
AT dianyuanliu immunemediatedrenalinjuryindiabetickidneydiseasefrommechanismstotherapy
AT yueyu immunemediatedrenalinjuryindiabetickidneydiseasefrommechanismstotherapy
AT zimengli immunemediatedrenalinjuryindiabetickidneydiseasefrommechanismstotherapy
AT qingwang immunemediatedrenalinjuryindiabetickidneydiseasefrommechanismstotherapy