The present analysis demonstrates that diabetic patients have a higher proportion of glomerular endothelial cells in the GEC1 group, the glomerular endothelial cells with high expression of angiogenetic genes, than control subjects (17/137 for healthy subjects, and 35/157 for diabetic patients), thus supporting that diabetes induces glomerular endothelial cell proliferation, and these proliferative endothelial cells are fundamental for immature angiogenesis, vessel leakage as well as glomerulosclerosis. Here, GABARAPL1 is linked to glomerulosclerosis.