Heparanase may be a new therapeutic target in diabetic nephropathy, report investigators of a new study. Increased expression of heparanase is associated with loss of heparan sulfate, a major component of the glomerular basement membrane. This new research showed that deletion of the heparanase gene protected mice from diabetic nephropathy, and that a heparanase inhibitor decreased renal damage and albuminuria in mouse models of diabetic nephropathy.