Kidney disease develops in 20–40% of people with diabetes,1 2 and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of end-stage kidney disease in the USA and worldwide.3 4 Moreover, DKD substantially increases the risk of cardiovascular mortality.3 5 Established interventions that prevent or retard DKD include optimizing glycemic6–8 and blood pressure8 9 control, inhibiting the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system,8 9 and treatment with sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors8–10 or glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists.8 9 11. Here, REN is linked to diabetic kidney disease.