Mechanism of SGLT2 Inhibition in the Kidney

The goal of this open-label, non-randomized clinical trial is to determine what effects, if any, an FDA-approved drug class known as SGLT2 inhibitors (Canagliflozin or INVOKANA) has any protective effects on kidney function in Type 2 diabetes. We are looking for participants 18-80 years of age, who have had a clinical diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes for ≥ 3 years. Participants will be asked to sign a consent and complete a screening visit prior to study entry including the following procedures for this study: Consent and Screening: * Laboratory tests to determine baseline health * Ultrasound to measure kidney size and ensure presence of 2 functioning kidneys Month 0: * Study entry kidney MRI (day 0) * Study entry kidney biopsy (within 30 days of MRI) * Study entry visit for dispensing 100 mg/daily Canagliflozin medication 3 month supply Month 3: * Study visit to dispense remaining 3 months of 100 mg/daily Canagliflozin medication * Review of systems Month 6: * Follow-up kidney MRI * Follow-up kidney biopsy Study participants will also be requested to provide blood and urine samples for biobanking purposes. They will also be provided the opportunity to provide a stool sample at two time points, as well as the option to participate in a related study collecting samples to create induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs). Participants will be compensated for their time and loss of work time, additionally, a nominal additional compensation for optional stool and iPSC samples.

The purpose of this protocol is to examine the effects of the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor canagliflozin on intrarenal transcripts of energy metabolism in adults with type 2 diabetes and early diabetic kidney disease (DKD) via an open-label non-randomized mechanistic trial. This trial will enroll 40 participants who will receive 100 mg of canagliflozin daily for six (6) months in addition to standard of care. The primary objective of this study is to determine whether canagliflozin affects intrarenal transcripts of energy metabolism in adults with type 2 diabetes and early DKD. The primary outcomes measure will be change in transcripts as assessed by single-cell RNA sequencing of kidney biopsy specimens obtained at study entry and after 6 months of study drug. Secondary outcomes include assessing the effects of canagliflozin on structural progression of DKD assessed by morphometric examination of kidney tissue specimens from the paired research biopsies. Additional secondary outcomes include measures of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow (RPF) as well as multiparametric kidney MRI. Magnetic resonance imaging of the kidneys will be performed prior to each biopsy to correlate the molecular and structural damage seen at kidney biopsy with the level of perfusion, oxygen availability and fibrosis detected by imaging. Imaging of the kidneys will be done as near to the time of each kidney biopsy as possible. Participants will be followed annually after completion of the mechanistic clinical trial until death or development of end-stage kidney disease.