It was reported that the downregulation of PGC-1α significantly increased reactive oxygen species in high glucose-stimulated renal mesangial cells, and endogenous PGC-1α expression resulted in protective effects against oxidative stress, glomerulosclerosis, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis in experimental DN (Zhang et al., 2018). Here, PPARGC1A is linked to glomerulosclerosis.