Description:Despite recent advances, diabetic nephropathy (DN) remains a major public health concern. The precise underlying molecular mechanisms of DN remain elusive. Accumulating recent evidence suggests that mitochondrial integrity and lipid metabolism in podocytes significantly contribute to the pathogenesis of DN. However, the interplay between these two key metabolic regulators of DN is not fully understood. This study examines the role of ChREBP (carbohydrate-response element-binding protein), a master regulator of lipogenesis, on mitochondrial morphology and progression of DN. Our findings suggest that diabetic mice with podocyte-specific deletion of ChREBP are protected against mitochondrial fragmentation and progression of DN. Using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, we identified the central role of ChREBP-induced plasmalogen phospholipids in linking mitochondrial lipidomes with mitochondrial dynamics in DN.