ArticleEnvironmental research2025
Uranium exposure and kidney tubule biomarkers in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).
Article in Environmental research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Metal and metal mixture biomarkers across three U.S. cohorts: MASALA, MESA-LA, and Strong Heart Family Study.Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology · 2026Article
- Geological and climatic influences on natural radioactivity in drinking water and their health impacts: a study of Dessie and Kombolcha towns, Ethiopia.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Isotopic Fractionation of Natural Uranium in Mice as a Potential Biomarker of Renal Accumulation.Environmental science & technology · 2025Article
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17 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundExperimental studies indicate that uranium exposure is toxic to the kidney tubules. We evaluated the association of urinary uranium concentrations with biomarkers of tubule cell dysfunction (alpha-1-microglobulin [A1M], uromodulin [UMOD], epidermal growth factor [EGF]), and tubule cell injury (kidney injury molecule-1 [KIM-1], monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 [MCP-1], and chitinase-3-like protein 1 [YKL-40]), as well as with albuminuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) among participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).
methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study that included 461 participants selected for the absence of diabetes, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and cardiovascular disease, evaluated with six kidney tubule biomarker measurements. Urinary uranium concentrations were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in spot urine samples. Linear models were used to determine associations of urinary uranium concentrations with each kidney tubule biomarker, calculated by the geometric mean ratio (GMR), after adjustment for participant's urinary creatinine concentrations, age, sex, race/ethnicity, MESA field center, highest level of education completed, cigarette smoking status, alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), albuminuria levels, and eGFR.
resultsMedian (interquartile range) urinary uranium concentration was 5.2 (2.9, 10.4) ng/L, and mean (standard deviation) eGFR was 99 (16) mL/min/1.73 m
conclusionsAmong healthy community-living individuals, chronic low-level uranium exposure, as measured in urine, was associated with markers of kidney tubule cell injury. Chronic low-level uranium exposure observed in contemporary US urban centers may adversely affect kidney tubule health and related outcomes.
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