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The microplastics exposure induce the kidney injury in mice revealed by RNA-seq
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In a mouse study, microplastics of different sizes caused kidney injury including inflammation, oxidative stress, and scarring (fibrosis) after long-term exposure. The smallest particles (80 nanometers) altered immune-related genes, while larger particles disrupted genes tied to the body's internal clock. This research provides evidence that microplastics accumulating in the body over time could contribute to kidney disease in mammals, including humans.
Microplastics (MPs) may pollute drinking water, accumulate in the food chain, and release toxic chemicals that may cause a variety of diseases. The detrimental effects of MPs on kidney injury and fibrosis under long-term accumulation have not been fully documented. In this study, mice were exposed to MPs with three different diameters (80 nm, 0.5 µm, and 5 µm) to investigate the detrimental influences of MPs on the kidney. The results showed that MPs of different diameters caused varying degrees of injury to the murine kidney. MPs exposure can induce an inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis in the kidney and induce kidney injury, which ultimately promotes kidney fibrosis. Furthermore, transcriptome data revealed that chronic exposure to MPs could alter the expressions of multiple genes related to immune response (80 nm) and circadian rhythm (0.5 µm, and 5 µm). Overall, our data provide new evidence and potential research for investigating the harm of MPs to kidney of mammals and even humans.
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Effects of Microplastic (MP) Exposure at Environmentally Relevant Doses on the Structure, Function, and Transcriptome of the Kidney in Mice
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Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene microplastics at doses matching levels found in the environment and examined the effects on kidney structure and function. While the microplastics did not cause obvious physical damage to the kidneys, they altered blood markers of kidney function and changed gene expression patterns related to immune response and metabolism. The study suggests that even low-level microplastic exposure may subtly affect kidney biology at the molecular level.
Effects of nano- and microplastics on kidney: Physicochemical properties, bioaccumulation, oxidative stress and immunoreaction
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Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene nano- and microplastics of varying sizes and tracked their accumulation and effects in the kidneys. They found that the particles changed their physical properties during digestion, accumulated in kidney tissue, and caused oxidative stress and immune responses. The study suggests that plastic particle size plays an important role in determining the extent of kidney-related harm.
Toxicological effects of microplastics in renal ischemia–reperfusion injury
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Researchers studied how microplastic exposure affects kidney injury and recovery in a mouse model of reduced blood flow to the kidneys. They found that microplastics worsened kidney damage by triggering inflammatory responses and disrupting cellular repair processes. The study suggests that microplastic accumulation in the body may increase vulnerability to kidney complications.
Micro- and nanoplastics and the kidney: exposure pathways, toxicokinetics, and pathophysiological insights
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Tiny plastic particles from our air, water, and food—called micro- and nanoplastics—can enter our bodies and travel to the kidneys, where studies show they may cause cell damage, inflammation, and scarring over time. This review pulls together existing research on how these plastics get into our system and harm kidney tissue, suggesting that everyday plastic exposure could be an overlooked risk factor for kidney disease. More research is needed, but this is an early signal that reducing plastic exposure might matter for long-term kidney health.
Microplastics and the Kidney: A Narrative Review of Human Evidence, Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Injury, and Future Directions
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This review summarizes existing research on how tiny plastic particles might affect kidney health. It describes how plastics entering cells can trigger stress and damage in lab studies, and notes that human studies have found microplastics in urine and kidney tissue, linked to early signs of kidney damage, though evidence remains limited.
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