Combining sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor with mesenchymal stem cells and brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) transplantation to mitigate the progression of diabetic kidney disease: a pre-clinical approach

• Combined BM-MSC therapy with SGLT2 inhibitor and calorie restriction significantly improved blood glucose control and reduced mesangial matrix expansion in a preclinical DKD model. • The combination therapy alleviated oxidative stress and preserved podocyte numbers, indicating a protective effect on kidney structure. • Upregulation of podocyte structural markers and RAAS renoprotective axis components suggests a mechanism for the observed renoprotection. • BAT and WAT transplantation also showed promise, offering potential alternative or adjunctive cell-based strategies for DKD management.