The expression of the DNA repair factor lysine acetyltransferase 5 (KAT5) was reduced in the glomeruli of diabetic nephropathy in mouse models and humans, and knockdown of podocyte KAT5 expression caused focal segmental glomerulosclerosis with increased DNA DSBs and increased DNMT1 and DNMT3B expression with phenotypical changes in podocytes. This evidence concerns the gene KAT5 and diabetic kidney disease.