Experimental and human studies have shown that proteinuria contributes to the progression of renal disease. Overexposure to filtered proteins promotes the expression and release of chemokines by tubular epithelial cells, thus leading to inflammatory cell recruitment and renal impairment. This review focuses on recent progress in cellular and molecular understanding of the role of chemokines in the pathogenesis of proteinuria-induced renal injury, as well as their clinical implications and therapeutic potential.