Targeting gut microbiota: a potential promising therapy for diabetic kidney disease.

Conventional studies reveal a contributory role of gut microbiota in the process of diabetes mellitus (DM) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, the mechanism through which gut microbiota influence diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is ignored. In the present article, we reviewed the changes in gut microbiota of patients with DM, DKD as well as ESRD, and how this may contribute to the progression of DKD. Although further studies are needed to either selectively change the composition of the gut microbiota or to pharmacologically control the metabolites of microbiota, the gut microbiota represents a new potential therapeutic target for DKD.