PDK1 is a kinase that inactivates pyruvate dehydrogenase (Klyuyeva et al., 2019), and Artemether treatment was found to reduce the level of mitochondrial protein PDK1, reverse the low expression of catalase, SOD2, and other antioxidant enzymes, and alleviate the redox imbalance in type 1 diabetes (T1D) DKD mice (Wang M. et al., 2019). The gene discussed is SOD2; the disease is type 1 diabetes mellitus.