Why is nephrin and proteinuria relevant at all to diabetes?

Stops protein loss: Nephrin is a protein on the kidney and helps prevent protein loss in the kidney. Proteinuria is when the kidney spills excessive amounts of protein in the urine. Diabetes can damage the kidney and cause the kidney to spill excessive protein thus leading to severe kidney disease. Nephrin is important because it helps prevent excessive protein leak from occurring.

Kidneys: Protein in the urine increases the risk of nerve damage, eye disease, heart dusease, stroke, and kidney disease. Mortality rates are also linked to proteinuria.