Description:Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of end stage renal disease, and is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. The pathophysiology of DN includes both glomerular and tubulointerstitial damage. Meprins are metalloproteinases which are most abundantly expressed in the brush border membranes of proximal kidney tubules. Meprins are also expressed in leukocytes (monocytes and macrophages) and podocytes. Meprins have been implicated in the pathology of acute and chronic kidney injury. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the meprin ß gene were associated in human DN in the Pima Indians, suggesting a role for meprins in the pathophysiology of DN. The current study was done to determine the mechanisms by which meprins modulate the progression of DN in mice.