In diabetic nephropathy models, the AS-IV group showed significantly reduced expressions of GRP78 and IRE-1α, key ERS regulators, resulting in suppression of NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway activation, downregulation of NF-κB p65 and IL-1β, and subsequent inflammation and podocyte apoptosis mitigation in diabetic nephropathy rats (Sun et al., 2024). Here, ERN1 is linked to diabetic kidney disease.