The interplay between autophagy and apoptosis mediates toxicity triggered by synthetic cathinones in human kidney cells

Synthetic cathinones abuse remains a serious public health problem. Kidney injury has been reported in intoxications associated with synthetic cathinones, but the molecular mechanisms involved have not been explored yet. In this study, the potential in vitro nephrotoxic effects of four commonly abused cathinone derivatives, namely pentedrone, 3,4-dimethylmethcatinone (3,4-DMMC), methylone and 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), were assessed...