Methods are provided for delaying onset or progression of kidney damage, or treating kidney disease, in a subject who has type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes or glomerular disease. The methods comprise administering to a subject with type 1 or type 2 diabetes or glomerular disease an effective amount of an agent capable of inhibiting NBL1 activity, and in particular, capable of inhibiting NBL1-mediated toxicity of human podocytes. In some embodiments, the agent is an antibody capable of binding to human NBL1.