Reno- and cardioprotective molecular mechanisms of SGLT2 inhibitors beyond glycemic control - from bedside to bench

Large placebo-controlled clinical trials have shown that sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) delay the deterioration of renal function and reduce cardiovascular events in a glucose-independent manner, thereby ultimately reducing mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and/or heart failure. These exiting clinical data stimulated preclinical studies aiming to understand the observed clinical effects. In animal models, it was shown that the beneficial effect of …