Table 1.

Targeted cytoprotective genes and effects on renal cell apoptosis and nephropathy

Targeted genes in diabetic animal models	Effects on diabetic renal cell apoptosis and nephropathy
Transgenic catalase mice	Reduced albuminuria, glomerulosclerosis, interstitial fibrosis and tubular apoptosis [59, 60]
Catalase-deficient mice	Kidneys are more prone to oxidative stress [61]
HO-1 gene transfer in mice or rats	Reduced apoptosis and kidney injury [63]
HO-2-deficient mice	Enhanced STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy, which could be restored by HO-1 gene transfer [64]
SOD transgenic mice	Protection against diabetic nephropathy [68]
Thioredoxin-1 transgenic mice	Diminished albuminuria and tubular apoptosis [67]
Peroxiredoxin-3 transgenic mice	Protection against hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance and reduced fibroblast apoptosis by reducing mitochondrial H2O2 production [69]
Glutathione peroxidase-1-deficient mice	No effects on T1DM-induced kidney injury [70]
Mice with a reduction of thrombo-modulin-dependent protein C activation	Aggravated glomerular apoptosis and diabetic nephropathy [19, 56]
Mice expressing a hyper-activatable protein C mutation	Protein C activation prevents glomerular apoptosis and diabetic nephropathy [19, 56]