CXCL12 and diabetic kidney disease: According to the transcriptomic 2.2.2s and proteomic results, immunofluorescence or western blotting was used to assess podocyte-specific marker expression levels (nephrin, podocin and CD2AP), epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers (desmin, Fsp1 and <i>α</i>-SMA) and DPP-4/SDF-1<i>α</i>/TGF-<i>β</i>/Smad signalling axis components; nephrin, podocin and CD2AP expression significantly elevated (#<i>p</i> < 0.05 or ##<i>p</i> < 0.01) and desmin, Fsp1 and <i>α</i>-SMA expression greatly decreased (#<i>p</i> < 0.05 or ##<i>p</i> < 0.01) in the DKD + Acu group.