Morin has protective potential against ER stress induced apoptosis in renal proximal tubular HK-2 cells.

•Morin protects the renal proximal tubular HK-2 cells from the apoptosis induced by TM.•Morin inhibited the TM-induced expression of GRP78, a major ER chaperone.•Morin mainly exert it’s role through suppressing IRE-1, JNK route.•Morin has little effects on PERK or ATF6 in HK-2 cells.•Morin suppressed the intracellular ROS production by TM in HK-2 cells.