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Environmental Sensitivity Illnesses: Advances in Mechanisms and Molecular Signatures
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Environmental Sensitivity Illnesses: Advances in Mechanisms and Molecular Signatures

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2026) | Viewed by 6231

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Daniela Caccamo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morpho-Functional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
Interests: inflammation; oxidative stress; biochemical markers; molecular markers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental sensitivity illnesses (ESIs), such as electrohypersensitivity, multiple chemical sensitivity, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome, are considered an emerging health burden worldwide due to the continuous increase of daily exposure to electromagnetic fields, chemicals, drugs, and other toxic xenobiotics.

Xenobiotic exposure can trigger oxidative stress and concomitant inflammation, which are common features in ESI patients, together with alterations in the gut metabolism.

However, to date, the molecular mechanisms leading to the development of ESIs have not been thoroughly investigated.

This Special Issue will provide insights into recent advances in the above research areas at a molecular level. We welcome original research papers, as well as systematic reviews and meta-analyses, that provide valuable insights into the identification of possible biomarkers and targets that can clarify the mechanisms and molecular signatures in ESIs.

Prof. Dr. Daniela Caccamo
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • electromagnetic hypersensitivity
  • multiple chemical sensitivity
  • fibromyalgia
  • chronic fatigue syndrome
  • chronic pain disorder
  • toxicant-induced loss of tolerance
  • total allergy syndrome
  • circulating biomarkers
  • genetic susceptibility factors
  • immune system alterations

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 2414 KB  
Article
The Linkage Between Ecotoxins Within Maximum Permissible Concentrations, Oxidative Stress and Antibodies Against Cyclic Citrullinated Peptides in Patients and Persons at Preclinic Stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis
by Igor L. Serdiuk, Anna R. Valeeva, Sergei V. Petrov, Damir G. Salikhov, Gevorg G. Kazarian, Marina O. Korovina, Olga A. Kravtsova, Elena I. Shagimardanova, Wesley Brooks, Oleg R. Badrutdinov, Malik N. Mukminov, Eduard A. Shuralev, Nikolai D. Shamaev, Andrej A. Novikov, Yves Renaudineau and Marina I. Arleevskaya
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(7), 3328; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27073328 - 7 Apr 2026
Viewed by 608
Abstract
Environmental factors are suspected of triggering rheumatoid arthritis (RA). One such factor is oxidative stress (OS), which is a step in ecotoxin detoxification and a damaging factor. The linkage of ecotoxin-triggered OS with clinical and laboratory RA indices in patients and individuals at [...] Read more.
Environmental factors are suspected of triggering rheumatoid arthritis (RA). One such factor is oxidative stress (OS), which is a step in ecotoxin detoxification and a damaging factor. The linkage of ecotoxin-triggered OS with clinical and laboratory RA indices in patients and individuals at the pre-RA stage was studied in patients with early (e) (n = 35) and advanced (a) stages of RA (n = 25) and individuals at pre-RA stages (FDR-First-Degree Relative(s), pre-RA, n = 72) in comparison with 52 healthy individuals without autoimmune and immunoinflammatory diseases in their family history (Controls). Ecotoxins within permissible concentration limits were associated with serum levels of OS markers in all cohorts, including Controls. Serum oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) levels in pre-RA and eRA cohorts exceeded Control values. Significant differences were found in anti-oxLDL antibody correlations and OS markers. In pre-RA and both RA cohorts, a relationship was found with regards to serum antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptide (ACCP) levels. Thus, ecotoxin-induced OS likely triggers pathogenic mechanisms at the pre-RA stage and RA onset. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Sensitivity Illnesses: Advances in Mechanisms and Molecular Signatures)
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Review

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40 pages, 1028 KB  
Review
Heavy Metal Toxicity in Clinical and Environmental Health: Sources, Mechanisms, Diagnostics, and Evidence-Based Management of Mercury, Lead, Cadmium, and Arsenic
by Dib Chakif and Julien Furrer
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(8), 3513; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27083513 - 14 Apr 2026
Viewed by 430
Abstract
Heavy metals including mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As) remain significant global toxins due to their environmental persistence, widespread anthropogenic release, and serious biological effects. This review consolidates current understanding of their natural and industrial sources, environmental cycling, human exposure [...] Read more.
Heavy metals including mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As) remain significant global toxins due to their environmental persistence, widespread anthropogenic release, and serious biological effects. This review consolidates current understanding of their natural and industrial sources, environmental cycling, human exposure routes, and population-level vulnerabilities. It covers their toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics, emphasizing species-specific absorption, distribution, and injury mechanisms, including oxidative stress, thiol binding, mitochondrial dysfunction, endocrine disruption, and cancer risk. Clinical signs range from subtle neurocognitive impairment and kidney damage to severe acute poisoning. The review evaluates evidence-based approaches to risk assessment and biomonitoring, such as blood, urine, hair, and speciation tests, noting issues, including unvalidated provoked testing. Treatment focuses on removing exposure, providing nutritional support, and offering supportive care, with chelation therapy reserved for specific cases. It explains the chemistry, pharmacology, and roles of chelating agents—ALA, DMSA, DMPS, Cys, GSH, and physiologic thiols, comparing their effectiveness, limitations, and costs for various metals. Emerging therapies, precision toxicology, and public health strategies are discussed within a prevention-focused context. Unlike prior reviews focused primarily on toxic mechanisms or isolated clinical management, this review integrates mechanistic toxicology, biomarker interpretation and speciation, evidence-based clinical care, and ethical, cost-conscious decision-making within a single translational framework. This narrative review synthesizes foundational and contemporary literature published through 2025, with particular emphasis on studies published since 2000 that inform toxicokinetics, biomarker interpretation, diagnostics, clinical management, and prevention. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Sensitivity Illnesses: Advances in Mechanisms and Molecular Signatures)
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22 pages, 827 KB  
Review
The Gut–Brain–Immune Axis in Environmental Sensitivity Illnesses: Microbiome-Centered Narrative Review of Fibromyalgia Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
by Kentaro Watai, Masami Taniguchi and Kenichi Azuma
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(20), 9997; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26209997 - 14 Oct 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4416
Abstract
Environmental sensitivity illnesses—including fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS)—are chronic, disabling disorders characterized by hypersensitivity to environmental stimuli, persistent fatigue, widespread pain, and neurocognitive and autonomic dysfunction. Although their diagnostic criteria differ, increasing evidence suggests overlapping [...] Read more.
Environmental sensitivity illnesses—including fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS)—are chronic, disabling disorders characterized by hypersensitivity to environmental stimuli, persistent fatigue, widespread pain, and neurocognitive and autonomic dysfunction. Although their diagnostic criteria differ, increasing evidence suggests overlapping clinical features and shared biological mechanisms. A unifying hypothesis highlights the gut–brain–immune axis, where alterations in the intestinal microbiome, epithelial barrier dysfunction, and aberrant immune signaling interact with central sensitization and systemic metabolic dysregulation. Recent studies demonstrate reduced microbial diversity, depletion of anti-inflammatory taxa (e.g., Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Bifidobacterium), and enrichment of pro-inflammatory Clostridium species across these conditions. These shifts likely alter production of short-chain fatty acids, amino acid metabolites, and complex lipids, with downstream effects on mitochondrial function, neuroinflammation, and host energy metabolism. Moreover, emerging clinical interventions—including probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation—suggest a potential role for microbiome-targeted therapies, though controlled evidence remains limited. This review synthesizes current knowledge on microbiome alterations in FMS, ME/CFS, and MCS, emphasizing their convergence on metabolic and immune pathways. By integrating microbial, immunological, and neurophysiological perspectives, we propose a microbiome-centered framework for understanding environmental sensitivity illnesses and highlight avenues for translational research and therapeutic innovation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Sensitivity Illnesses: Advances in Mechanisms and Molecular Signatures)
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