The aim of a new article published in the Molecular Medicine Reports was to identify therapeutic gene and microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers for diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Here, public expression profile GSE30122 was used. Subsequently, the limma package was used to select differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) in DKD glomeruli samples and tubuli samples, which were compared to corresponding controls. Overall, 139 upregulated and 28 downregulated overlapping DEGs were selected. The findings revealed that these DEGs were primarily associated with pathways involved in extracellular matrix (ECM)‑receptor interactions and cytokine‑cytokine receptor interactions. CD44, fibronectin 1, C‑C motif chemokine ligand-5, and C‑X‑C motif chemokine receptor-4 were four primary nodes in the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. miRNA (miR)‑17‑5p, miR‑20a, and miR‑106a were important and nuclear receptor subfamily-4 group A member-3 (NR4A3), protein tyrosine phosphatase, receptor type O (PTPRO), and Kruppel like factor-9 (KLF9) were all predicted as target genes of the three miRNAs in the integrated miRNA‑target network. From the findings, it was stated that several genes were identified in DKD, which may be involved in pathways such as ECM‑receptor interaction and cytokine‑cytokine receptor interaction. Further, three miRNAs may also be used as biomarkers for therapy of DKD, including miR‑17‑5p, miR‑20a, and miR‑106a, with the predicted targets of NR4A3, PTPRO, and KLF9.