TNF and diabetic kidney disease: DKD is considered to be an inflammatory disease caused by disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism.21 Our previous study found that proteinuria causes inflammation of TECs in a CKD mouse model.22 High concentrations of urinary albumin in DKD patients activate TECs to produce proinflammatory factors such as CRP, IL, TNF‐α, NF‐κB and ROS, which can lead to GEC injury, apoptosis and EndMT.