The relationships between miRNAs and target genes were constructed, showing that miR-29 targeted COL4A and VEGFA, miR-200 targeted VEGFA, miR-25 targeted ITGAV, and miR-27 targeted EGFR.MiR-29 and miR-200 may play important roles in DN.
ULK-1 with EGFR can predict early impairment in DN while PDCN can highlight progressive DN risk EGFR and PDCN may interact synergistically with ULK-1 in autophagy dysregulation as a pathogenic mechanism of DN induction and progression.
Higher HbA<sub>1c</sub> in type 1 diabetes is associated with changes in the serum N-glycome that have elsewhere been shown to regulate the epidermal growth factor receptor and transforming growth factor-β pathways that are implicated in DKD.
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy and renal fibrosis; however, the causative role of sustained EGFR activation is unclear.
These results suggest that EGFR/AKT/ROS/ER stress signaling plays an essential role in DN development and inhibiting EGFR may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy in diabetic kidney diseases.