The induction of heparanase expression and enzymatic activity has been demonstrated in animal models of glomerulonephritis (i.e., puromycin amino–nucleoside-induced nephrosis and passive Heymann nephritis), adriamycin nephropathy, anti-glomerular basement membrane nephritis, diabetic nephropathy and acute kidney injury, as well as in patients with diabetic nephropathy, IgA nephropathy, minimal change disease, C3 nephropathy, lupus nephritis, membranous glomerulopathy, nondiabetic nephrotic syndrome and chronic kidney diseases, and kidney-transplanted patients. This evidence concerns the gene HPSE and diabetic kidney disease.