ObjectiveTo investigate the changes of urine neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (uNGAL) in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) and the related clinical significance. MethodsEighty-seven T2DM patients were divided into high albuminuria group (including both miroalbuminuria \[MA\] and clinical nephropathy \[CN\] patients, uAlb/uCr≥30 mg/mmol) and normal albuminuria (NA) group (uAlb/uCr<30 mg/mmol) according to the ratio of urinary albumin to urinary creatinine abundance. Forty normal subjects were recruited as control.The uNGAL level was measured by ELISA; plasma glucose, blood lipids(TC, TG, HDL-C, and LDL-C) abundance were also analyzed. ResultsThe high albuminuria group had the highest uNGAL level, followed by normal albuminuria group and control group, and the former two groups had significantly higher uNGAL levels than the control group (P<0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that uAlb/uCr, uNGAL, FBG and TG levels were positively correlated with the progress of DN ( ruAlb/uCr= 0.16, ruNGAL=0.18, rFBG=0.41, and rTG=0.72, P<0.05); HDL-C was negatively correlated with the progress of DN (rHDL-C=-2.19, P<0. 01). ConclusionuNGAL level is significantly increased in DN patients and correlated with the degree of kidney damage. uNGAL may serve as an indicator for early diagnosis of DN. The elevated plasma glucose and blood lipids can accelerate the progress of DN.