Pos-337 asparaginyl endopeptidase protects against podocyte injury in diabetic nephropathy through cleaving cofilin-1

Asparaginyl endopeptidase (AEP) is a lysosomal cysteine protease that specifically cleaves its substrates after asparagine residues. Physiologically, AEP is most abundant in kidney proximal tubule and is required for normal kidney physiology and homeostasis. Recent studies reported that AEP exerts anti-fibrotic effect through degrading of matrix fibronection during unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) animal model. However, its role and mechanism in podocyte injury during diabetic nephropathy (DN) remains unclear.