Antioxidants (Feb 2021)

Renoprotective Effects of DPP-4 Inhibitors

  • Daiji Kawanami,
  • Yuichi Takashi,
  • Hiroyuki Takahashi,
  • Ryoko Motonaga,
  • Makito Tanabe

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10020246
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 2
p. 246

Abstract

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Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) worldwide. Dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitors are widely used in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). DPP-4 inhibitors reduce glucose levels by inhibiting degradation of incretins. DPP-4 is a ubiquitous protein with exopeptidase activity that exists in cell membrane-bound and soluble forms. It has been shown that an increased renal DPP-4 activity is associated with the development of DKD. A series of clinical and experimental studies showed that DPP-4 inhibitors have beneficial effects on DKD, independent of their glucose-lowering abilities, which are mediated by anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative stress properties. In this review article, we highlight the current understanding of the clinical efficacy and the mechanisms underlying renoprotection by DPP-4 inhibitors under diabetic conditions.

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