CCL2 and diabetic kidney disease: Of note, in vitro experiments have shown that AGEs-RAGE interaction is involved in the progression of renal damage by inducing mesangial fibrosis, glomerular sclerosis and the expression of vascular endothelial grow factor (VEGF) and MCP1 by mesangial cells [39], [40], which in turn could support monocyte mesangial infiltration in early phase of diabetic nephropathy [41].