We found that the in vivo antagonism of the adenosine A2B receptor (A2BAR) using MRS1754 in diabetic rats impedes the diabetes-induced glomerular expression of the mesenchymal-like transformation markers Snail and α-SMA, while the loss of the epithelial podocyte-specific proteins nephrin and ZO-1 was prevented. The gene discussed is TJP1; the disease is diabetes mellitus.