MitoQ, a mitochondrially-targeted antioxidant that has been reported to protect against DKD by suppressing mitochondrial ROS-TXNIP/NLRP3/IL-1β axis activation (Han et al., 2018), was recently discovered to suppress tubular injury via nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/PINK1-mediated mitophagy in experimental DKD (Xiao et al., 2017). Here, IL1B is linked to diabetic kidney disease.