Early postmortem interval estimation based on Cdc25b mRNA in rat cardiac tissue

Advancements in estimating post-mortem interval in medico-legal practice: A comprehensive review

Estimating the Post-Mortem Interval (PMI) is a crucial aspect of forensic investigations, aiding in the resolution of criminal cases, identifying missing persons, and understanding decomposition processes. This review provides an exhaustive analysis of recent advancements in PMI estimation techniques, encompassing both traditional and emerging methodologies. Included in the study is an exhaustive examination of well-established methodologies, including algor mortis, livor mortis, and rigor mortis, as well as their shortcomings and improvements. It also delves into innovative approaches, including forensic entomology, chemical and molecular biology, microbiology, artificial intelligence, etc. Furthermore, this article discusses the integration of multiple disciplines and the potential of interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance PMI accuracy and reliability. By synthesizing the latest research findings and technological innovations, this review aims to provide forensic practitioners, law enforcement agencies, and medico-legal professionals with a comprehensive understanding of the current state-of-the-art in PMI estimation, facilitating more effective crime scene investigations and judicial proceedings.

An experimental study to estimate the early postmortem interval based on the degradation of lncRNAs in rat brain tissue

To study the degradation of lncRNAs in EPMI in rat brain tissue, this study provides a new direction for the estimation of EPMI. LncRNA high-throughput sequencing was performed on the brain tissues of hemorrhagic shock model rats at 0 h and 24 h, and the target lncRNAs were screened. Samples at 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 h after death were collected, and miRNA-9 and miRNA-125b were used as reference genes. The relative expression levels of lncRNAs at each PMI were detected by RT-qPCR, and a functional model involving lncRNAs and EPMI was established. Samples were collected at 6, 9, 15, and 21 h after death for functional model verification. The expression of several lncRNAs decreased with the prolongation of EPMI, and the mathematical model established by several lncRNA indices exhibited good fit. The verification results of the multi-index joint function model are significantly better than those of the single-index function model, and the established model is more practical. There is a linear relationship between lncRNAs and EPMI, and the multi-index function model is significantly better than the single-index function model, which is important for EPMI inference in forensic pathology practice.

Potential Role of mRNA in Estimating Postmortem Interval: A Systematic Review

Although the postmortem interval estimation still represents one of the main goals of forensic medicine, there are still several limitations that weigh on the methods most used for its determination: for this reason, even today, precisely estimating the postmortem interval remains one of the most important challenges in the forensic pathology field. To try to overcome these limitations, in recent years, numerous studies have been conducted on the potential use of the mRNA degradation time for reaching a more precise post mortem interval (PMI) estimation. An evidence-based systematic review of the literature has been conducted to evaluate the state of the art of the knowledge focusing on the potential correlation between mRNA degradation and PMI estimation. The research has been performed using the electronic databases PubMed and Scopus. The analysis conducted made it possible to confirm the potential applicability of mRNA for reaching a more precise PMI estimation. The analysis of the results highlighted the usefulness of some mRNAs, such as β-actin and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) mRNA, especially in short time frames, within a few hours or days of death. The matrices on which these analyses were conducted were also analyzed, resulting in less exposure to the external environment, including the heart, brain, and dental pulp. The major limitations were also reported, including the short time intervals analyzed in most of the articles, the lack of mathematical models, and the failure to report the error rate between the mRNA degradation time and PMI. Given the still small number of published articles, the lack of globally recognized standardized methods, and the numerous techniques used to evaluate the mRNA degradation times, numerous and larger studies are still necessary to reach more solid and shared evidence.

The impact of RNA stability and degradation in different tissues to the determination of post-mortem interval: A systematic review

Postmortem interval (PMI) in legal medicine is extremely important for both criminal and civil cases, and several sorts of techniques have been recommended. This systematic review solely focuses on approaches linked to RNA analysis, instead of including all proposed methods for determining the PMI. The term PMI will be used in this review to indicate the time between a person's death and the postmortem examination of the body. We adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Guidelines when conducting this systematic review. The majority of studies on various tissues at various time intervals at various temperatures are non-human, and just a small number are on humans. The results are then provided using various statistical approaches. To calculate the PMI, post-mortem RNA degradation was examined using several tissues. The result so obtained had an opposite polarity. While some studies show that RNA stability in various tissues remained constant for several days after death, the other group of studies showed evident RNA degradation over time post-mortem, which was significantly influenced by temperature and other agonal factors. These factors have an impact on the multi-parametric mathematical model of ante and post-mortem factors on RNA degradation, as well as its applicability and feasibility. The estimation of PMI using RNA degradation can prove to be highly objective and efficient after controlling for the various factors and challenges that pose the estimation of RNA in forensic samples difficult.

Application and limitation of a biological clock-based method for estimating time of death in forensic practices

Estimating time of death is one of the most important problems in forensics. Here, we evaluated the applicability, limitations and reliability of the developed biological clock-based method. We analyzed the expression of the clock genes, BMAL1 and NR1D1, in 318 dead hearts with defined time of death by real-time RT-PCR. For estimating the time of death, we chose two parameters, the NR1D1/BMAL1 ratio and BMAL1/NR1D1 ratio for morning and evening deaths, respectively. The NR1D1/BMAL1 ratio was significantly higher in morning deaths and the BMAL1/NR1D1 ratio was significantly higher in evening deaths. Sex, age, postmortem interval, and most causes of death had no significant effect on the two parameters, except for infants and the elderly, and severe brain injury. Although our method may not work in all cases, our method is useful for forensic practice in that it complements classical methods that are strongly influenced by the environment in which the corpse is placed. However, this method should be applied with caution in infants, the elderly, and patients with severe brain injury.

Review of the current and potential use of biological and molecular methods for the estimation of the postmortem interval in animals and humans

We provide here an overview of the state of applied techniques in the estimation of the early period of the postmortem interval (PMI). The biological methods included consist of body cooling, CSF potassium, body cooling combined with CSF potassium, and tissue autolysis. For each method, we present its application in human and veterinary medicine and provide current methodology, strengths, and weaknesses, as well as target areas for improvement. We examine current and future molecular methods as they pertain to DNA and primarily to messenger RNA degradation for the estimation of the PMI, as well as the use of RNA in aging wounds, aging blood stains, and the identification of body fluids. Various types of RNA have different lengths, structures, and functions in cells. These differences in RNAs determine various intrinsic properties, such as their half-lives in cells, and, hence, their decay rate as well as their unique use for specific forensic tests. Future applications and refinements of RNA-based techniques provide opportunities for the use of molecular methods in the estimation of PMI and other general forensic applications.

rno-miR-203a-3p and Mex3B contribute to cell survival of iliopsoas muscle via the Socs3-Casp3 axis under severe hypothermia in rats

Forensic diagnosis of fatal hypothermia is considered difficult because no specific findings, such as molecular markers, have been identified. Therefore, determining the molecular mechanism in hypothermia and identifying novel molecular markers to assist in diagnosing fatal hypothermia are important. This study aimed to investigate microRNA (miRNA) and mRNA expression in iliopsoas muscle, which plays a role in homeostasis in mammals, to resolve the molecular mechanism in hypothermia. We generated rat models of mild, moderate, and severe hypothermia, then performed body temperature-dependent miRNA and mRNA expression analysis of the iliopsoas muscle using microarray and next-generation sequencing. Analysis showed that rno-miR-203a-3p expression was lower with decreasing body temperature, while Socs3 expression was significantly increased only by severe hypothermia. Luciferase reporter assays suggested that Socs3 expression is regulated by rno-miR-203a-3p. Socs3 and Mex3B small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown showed that suppressing Mex3B could induce the activation of Socs3, followed by a change in caspase 3/7 activity and adenosine triphosphate levels in iliopsoas muscle cells. These findings indicate that rno-miR-203a-3p and Mex3B are deactivated by a decrease in body temperature, whereby it contributes to suppressing apoptosis by accelerating Socs3. Accordingly, the rno-miR-203a-3p-Socs3-Casp3 or Mex3B-Socs3-Casp3 axis may be the part of the biological defense response to maintain homeostasis under extreme hypothermia.

Role of molecular techniques in PMI estimation: An update

The time frames between death and reporting of the cadaver, known as post Mortem interval (PMI), is essential in investigation of homicide deaths, suspicious deaths, or other untimely deaths as well as natural deaths. Such information helps to connect the missing links in homicide or other relevant cases. Over the time several methods are developed which depends upon factors as several methods physiological, biochemical, entomological, and archaeological for the estimation of degradation of body with time. These methods lack precision, require expertise to achieve worthy results or authentic estimate. Although these methods are currently in use but, these evaluations are still unreliable and imprecise. Hence, we still need new methods for better estimation of PMI. Initially, the predictable morphological and chemical changes in cadaver are used as PMI indicators but, as the time since death increases, the above methods become less useful for as they can't pin point the time of death rather give a ballpark idea. With the advent of the field of molecular biology, the estimation of PMI is proposed to be executed by evaluating the degradation pattern of the biological markers (DNA, RNA, and Proteins). It is now proved that the DNA is fairly unwavering over long post-mortem phases, RNA is much more labile in nature, and sensitive to degradation in a tissue-specific manner. Thus, the main purpose (aim, agenda) of this document is to provide review that mainly focuses on potential use of RNA markers in estimation of PMI. For this Critical Review, the systematic evaluation of 47 studies is executed according to the chosen inclusion and exclusion criteria.

MicroRNAs as Useful Tools to Estimate Time Since Death. A Systematic Review of Current Literature

Estimating the time of death remains the most challenging question in forensic medicine, because post-mortem interval (PMI) estimation can be a remarkably difficult goal to achieve. The aim of this review is to analyze the potential of microRNAs (miRNAs) to evaluate PMI. MiRNAs have been studied as hallmarks and biomarkers in several pathologies and have also showed interesting applications in forensic science, such as high sensible biomarkers in body fluid and tissue, for wound age determination and PMI evaluation due to their low molecular weight and tissue-specific expression. The present systematic review was carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review (PRISMA) standards. We performed an electronic search of PubMed, Science Direct Scopus, and Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE) from the inception of these databases to 12 August 2020. The search terms were ("PMI miRNA" or "PMI micro RNA") and ("miRNA" and "time of death") in the title, abstract and keywords. Through analysis of scientific literature regarding forensic uses of miRNAs, has emerged that the intrinsic characteristics of such molecules, and their subsequent resistance to degradation, make them suitable as endogenous markers in order to determine PMI. However, further and larger studies with human samples and standardized protocols are still needed.

Postmortem expression of apoptosis-related genes in the liver of mice and their use for estimation of the time of death

PURPOSE

A major challenge in forensic medicine is to estimate the postmortem interval (PMI). Several approaches had been tried to determine the time of death, including physical and chemical changes. This study aims to explore the postmortem changes in the expression of apoptosis-related genes in the liver of mice and to use these changes for estimation of the PMI.

METHODS

Hepatic tissue was collected from sacrificed mice immediately after death (the control group) and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 hours after death. Four apoptosisrelated genes were selected as target genes, which are Caspase 3 (Casp3), B cell leukemia/ lymphoma 2 (Bcl2), BCL2-associated X protein (Bax), and Transformation related protein 53 (Trp53), and their relative expression was measured using quantitative PCR. miR-122 was used as a reference gene for normalization of the Ct (threshold cycle) values of the target genes.

RESULTS

The results revealed that the postmortem expression of Casp3 increased in a time-dependent manner; the expression of Bax increased from 3 to 18 hours followed by a decrease at 24 hours after death; the expression of Bcl2 decreased in a time-dependent manner after death; the expression of Trp53 increased from 3 to 6 hours and then started to decrease from 9 to 24 hours after death.

CONCLUSION

Based on the observed changes in the expression level of these genes, mathematical models were established to estimate the PMI. Further research is needed to investigate these markers and mathematical models in human tissues.

Postmortem interval determination using mRNA markers and DNA normalization

Postmortem interval (PMI) determination is an important part of criminal investigations, but it is still subject to uncertainty. Degradation of mRNA in PMI determination has been studied in decays; however, some studies have reported no correlation between PMI and RNA degradation. Thus, we aimed to determine whether RNA quantity was correlated with PMI. Heart and brain tissues were separated from a mouse model of a 0-48 h PMI with 29 time points. We then coextracted the DNA and RNA in one tube with Bioteke coextraction kits and selected some mRNA markers associated with cell oxygen deprivation and apoptosis as target genes, such as hypoxia-associated factor (HAF), apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), hypoxia-inducible factor 2 alpha (HIF2a), and factor inhibiting HIF (FIH). We measured the quantity of these markers using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), and Caspase-3 DNA and 18S were each used for normalization. The results showed that in the heart tissue, the degradation of HIF2a, AIF, and FIH was correlated with PMI, as was the degradation of HIF2a, FIH, and AIF in brain tissue when normalized with Caspase-3 DNA. However, when normalized with 18S, only the degradation of HIF2a in brain tissue was correlated with PMI. Interestingly, the quantity of HAF in brain tissue was found to increase after death with either 18S or Caspase-3 DNA normalization, and it was significantly correlated with 0-48 h PMI. These results indicated that mRNA quantity can be used to determine PMI and that Caspase-3 DNA is feasible for PMI estimation. In summary, we established mathematical models for PMI determination using multiple mRNA markers and multiple tissues and further studies are needed to validate and investigate these markers and mathematical models in human tissues.Duo Peng and Meili Lv contributed equally to this work.

Early postmortem interval (EPMI) estimation using differentially expressed gene transcripts

Genes differentially expressed after death were selected to construct a mathematical model for early postmortem interval estimation. Sprague Dawley rats were sacrificed and placed at temperatures of 4 °C, 15 °C, 25 °C, and 35 °C. Brain tissues were collected at 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h after death and total RNA was extracted. Changes in gene transcript levels after death were detected using microarray expression profiling and differentially expressed genes was screened. Expanded experiments were performed to validate gene transcript levels at different temperatures using the reverse transcription real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Six genes with high coefficients of determination were chosen for construction of mathematical models. Optimal ternary cubic equations were built using R software with temperature, postmortem interval and ΔCq defined as the independent variable x, y and z, respectively. Equations were converted into a three-dimensional visual statistical model using MATLAB. Animal samples were used to validate the mathematical models. Results showed that the 5srRNA showed best stability at four temperatures. The genes Ninj2, Grifin, Arpp19, and Hopx showed high coefficients of determination (>80%) and low error (<3h) in verification experiments which indicate that they are potential markers for early postmortem interval estimation.