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The Kidney-Related Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Human Kidney Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cells HK-2 and Male C57BL/6 Mice
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This study found that polystyrene microplastics caused damage to human kidney cells in the lab and accumulated in the kidneys of mice. The microplastics triggered mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and a cellular stress response called autophagy in kidney tissue. These results suggest that long-term microplastic exposure could be a risk factor for kidney disease.
The results suggest that PS-MPs caused mitochondrial dysfunction, ER stress, inflammation, and autophagy in kidney cells and accumulated in HK-2 cells and in the kidneys of mice. These results suggest that long-term PS-MPs exposure may be a risk factor for kidney health. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7612.
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