Journal article
Exposing the Airway Surface to the Neonicotinoid Clothianidin Alters the Electrophysiological Properties of Human Airway Epithelia
ACS omega, Vol.11(3), pp.4226-4231
01/27/2026
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.5c09156
PMCID: PMC12854517
PMID: 41626436
Appears in UI Libraries Support Open Access
Abstract
The neonicotinoid clothianidin is used indoors and outdoors as an insecticide and extensively as a seed coating in agriculture where working solutions are prepared at 4000 ppm. Health effects of clothianidin are often studied under the assumption that ingestion is the exposure route, yet inhalation exposures are likely, given that clothianidin is sprayed and dust is resuspended. We studied the effect of airway exposure to clothianidin using human donor epithelia. Acute clothianidin doses greater than 50 ppm applied to the apical (airway-facing) surface resulted in decreased ion transport properties, specifically, decreased activity of the surface sodium channel, ENaC. During a 6 h 500 ppm clothianidin exposure, the permeability of airway epithelia to clothianidin rose from ∼4.2 × 10–6 to ∼13.5 × 10–6 cm·s–1 without an increase in cell death, indicating a loss of barrier integrity. Respiratory precautions should be considered for those in proximity to aerosol-generating clothianidin application.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Exposing the Airway Surface to the Neonicotinoid Clothianidin Alters the Electrophysiological Properties of Human Airway Epithelia
- Creators
- Darrin A. Thompson - University of IowaVivek Kumar Srivastava - University of IowaLucy A. Siwicki - University of IowaAndrea Adamcakova-DoddEmma M. Stapleton - University of IowaIan M. Thornell - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- ACS omega, Vol.11(3), pp.4226-4231
- DOI
- 10.1021/acsomega.5c09156
- PMID
- 41626436
- PMCID
- PMC12854517
- NLM abbreviation
- ACS Omega
- ISSN
- 2470-1343
- eISSN
- 2470-1343
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society
- Grant note
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: P30 ES005605 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: HL173260
L.A.S. was a student through the University of Iowa Office of Undergraduate Research. We would like to acknowledge the support of the University of Iowa In Vitro Models and Cell Culture Core. EMT has funding through the Environmental Health Sciences Research Center (NIEHS/NIH P30 ES005605). IMT has funding through the NIH (HL173260). The Table of Contents graphic was created with BioRender.com.
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 01/15/2026
- Date published
- 01/27/2026
- Academic Unit
- Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Occupational Medicine; Occupational and Environmental Health; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9985130240502771
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