# Melamine/Cyanuric Acid Exposure and Kidney Injury in Children

> **NIH NIH R21** · SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · 2020 · $187,500

## Abstract

Abstract
Melamine and cyanuric acid are environmental chemicals that are found in common household
products and can cause kidney injury and damage. Widespread high dose contamination of
infant formula with melamine and cyanuric acid led to significant illness and deaths among
infants in China due to kidney toxicity, but few studies have examined if lower level chronic
exposures may affect kidney health in children. This will be the first study to investigate
background melamine and cyanuric exposures in US children and the first to determine their
relationship with kidney injury markers. We will measure melamine and cyanuric acid in 800
urine samples from 600 children (600 samples at ages 4-6y and 200 samples at follow-up, ages
8-9y) in the PATHWAYS GAPPS (PWG) cohort, an active cohort funded through the NIH
Environmental Influences on Child Outcomes (4UH3OD023271-03) mechanism. We will
determine sources of exposure and conduct cross-sectional and longitudinal investigations of
urinary melamine and cyanuric acid with urinary markers of renal injury and function: NGAL,
NAG, KIM1, proteinuria, and microalbuminuria. The knowledge gained could lead to
identification of a novel contributor to kidney injury and disease development. Study results
could also be used to reduce exposures in the general population.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10019551
- **Project number:** 5R21ES030832-02
- **Recipient organization:** SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Sheela Sathyanarayana
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $187,500
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-18 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10019551

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10019551, Melamine/Cyanuric Acid Exposure and Kidney Injury in Children (5R21ES030832-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10019551. Licensed CC0.

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