VEGFA and liver dysplastic nodule: Although VEGF is required for normal glomerulogenesis and essential for maintenance of glomerular filtration barrier, podocyte-specific overexpression of VEGF164 or VEGF165 isoform in animals leads to structural and functional renal changes similar to those abnormalities seen in DN, including proteinuria, glomerular hypertrophy, glomerular basement membrane thickening, mesangial expansion, loss of slit diaphragms, and podocyte effacement (61, 62).