In recent years, activation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 pathway by bardoxolone methyl and inhibition of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling by pirfenidone have been envisioned as therapeutic targets for DKD, with a number of clinical trials being currently underway (Chin et al., 2018; Isaka, 2018). Here, NFE2L2 is linked to diabetic kidney disease.