Research and advances in mouse models of diabetic nephropathy: a narrative review

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and thus, appropriate animal models are critically needed to investigate its pathogenesis and identify new therapeutic targets. DN mouse models are important tools for studying the mechanisms of DN and exploring therapeutic strategies. Common features of the renal pathology in diabetic patients include thickening of the glomerular basement membrane, mesangial expansion, glomerulosclerosis, tubular injury, and interstitial fibrosis. Although DN mouse models generated through pharmacological or genetic approaches demonstrate comparable renal structural changes, the existing DN mouse models fail to replicate the severity of human DN pathology, underscoring the need for further research to develop more precise DN mouse models. Mouse models with renal pathology that better matches the human condition would provide a key platform for identifying potential therapeutic targets and developing new drugs. This review summarizes the advantages and limitations of various DN mouse models, including pharmacological and dietary induction models, genetically engineered models, spontaneous models generated via genetic modification, and models developed by combined modeling approaches. The goal of this review is to provide valuable insights and guidance for the construction of more comprehensive DN models. Clinical trial number Not applicable.