Phthalate esters, cystic kidney disease in animals and possible effects on human health: a review.

1. Phthalate esters are known to cause hepatic peroxisome proliferation in rodents and, after prolonged administration, hepatocarcinogenesis. Peroxisome proliferators as a group are hepatocarcinogenic. The mechanism is not known but it does not appear to involve a direct genotoxic element. 2. DEHP and DBP have been shown to cause renal cysts in rodents and they also produce renal peroxisome proliferation. There are no data to causally link the two phenomena. 3. Although renal cysts have been noted in haemodialysis patients and haemodialysis is a route of exposure to DEHP, there are no data to suggest a cause and effect relationship. 4. More studies are needed on the mechanism of renal cystogenesis.