Molecular Mechanisms of Nephrotoxicity: From Environmental Toxins to Therapeutic Agents

Dear Colleagues,

Kidney injury remains a major health concern worldwide, with environmental toxins and therapeutic agents both recognized as critical contributors to nephrotoxicity. Increasing evidence demonstrates that exposure to pesticides, emerging pollutants, and environmental toxicants can disrupt renal cellular homeostasis, leading to oxidative stress, DNA damage, inflammation, and cell death. These mechanisms are closely associated with the initiation and progression of acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease.

At the same time, therapeutic agents, although indispensable in modern medicine, may also induce nephrotoxic effects through complex molecular pathways, highlighting the urgent need to balance efficacy and safety in clinical practice. Recent advances in nephrology and toxicology have begun to clarify the interplay between toxicant exposure, renal pathophysiology, and protective therapeutic strategies.

This Special Issue will explore the molecular mechanisms of nephrotoxicity, ranging from environmental toxins to therapeutic interventions. We welcome studies that investigate the underlying pathways, biomarkers, and translational approaches, as well as research aiming to identify novel therapeutic strategies for prevention or treatment. By integrating insights from toxicology, nephrology, and public health, this Special Issue will broaden our understanding and foster innovative solutions to mitigate nephrotoxic risks.

Prof. Dr. Chih-Kang Chiang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.