Thus, the treatment of diabetes mellitus using SGLT2 inhibitors could be one of the effective approach for the management of diabetic-associated kidney disease like DN.
These findings demonstrate that SGLT2 inhibitors alleviate various diabetic pathological conditions in type 2 diabetic mice, and suggest that SGLT2 inhibitors, particularly long-acting drugs, might be useful not only for hyperglycemia but also in diabetes-related diseases and complications, including nephropathy in type 2 diabetes.
SGLT-2 inhibitors have been shown to reduce glycated hemoglobin (A1C), weight, and blood pressure, which not only affects glycemic control, but may also help slow the progression of renal disease by impacting the underlying mechanisms of kidney injury.
Beneficial effects on kidney disease progression, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, and hospitalization for heart failure have also been demonstrated with one SGLT2 inhibitor (empagliflozin).
The beneficial effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on the conventional risk factors for kidney disease (such as blood pressure, hyperglycaemia, body weight and serum uric acid levels) may explain, at least in part, the observed renal-protecting properties of these compounds.
There is a possibility that SGLT-2 inhibition may correct hyperfiltration in diabetes, adding a new therapeutic approach to halt renal disease in patients with diabetes.
In summary, our study showed that SGLT2 inhibition modulates renal lipid metabolism and inflammation and prevents the development of nephropathy in db/db mice.