Based on the role of hyperglycemia-induced ROS in the development of diabetic nephropathy, recently published studies have demonstrated in animal models that antioxidant therapy or induction of antioxidative enzymes effectively prevents the progression to nephropathy in diabetes.23 These findings suggest that inhibiting ROS generation by activation of HO-1 may be a promising approach to protect the kidneys from diabetic nephropathy. The gene discussed is HMOX1; the disease is diabetes mellitus.