Research Progress on the Role of Irisin in Exercise-Improved Renal Function in Diabetic Nephropathy

RUAN Zhangyan¹, ZHANG Zhenghong², LIU Yiping¹, WANG Fan^1
*

(¹Provincial University Key Laboratory of Sport and Health Science, School of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, China; ² Provincial Key Laboratory for Developmental Biology and Neurosciences, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, China)

Abstract:

Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease and markedly increases the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. At present, exercise is one of the important therapeutic strategies for diabetic nephropathy, but its protective mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. In recent years, Irisin as a key myokine, which links exercise and renal function, has been found to participate in multiple pathophysiological processes and exert protective effects. This review systematically summarizes the biological characteristics of Irisin, the effects of exercise on its secretion, and the current clinical evidence and underlying mechanisms of its role in diabetic nephropathy, providing a theoretical basis for exercise-based interventions and targeted therapies for this disease.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2026.02.0025