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Tomsia M, Droździok K, Banaszek P, Szczepański M, Pałasz A, Chełmecka E. The intervertebral discs' fibrocartilage as a DNA source for genetic identification in severely charred cadavers. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2022; 18:442-449. [PMID: 36208368 PMCID: PMC9636093 DOI: 10.1007/s12024-022-00536-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Identifying charred human remains poses a challenge to forensic laboratories. High temperature completely incinerates the superficial tissues and partially destroys bones, forcing the forensics to seek an alternative, for bones and teeth, forensic material that should quickly and cheaply deliver DNA of sufficient quantity and quality. We sought, other than rib cartilage, types of cartilages that could serve as a DNA source. DNA was isolated from the fibrous cartilage of a fibrous ring of intervertebral L1-L2 discs sampled from charred cadavers or charred body fragments: 5 victims of car fires, 1 victim of combustion during a residential house gas explosion, and 3 victims of nitroglycerin explosion. DNA was isolated by the column method. DNA quality and concentration were assessed by RT-PCR and multiplex PCR for 23 autosomal and 17 Y chromosome STR loci. STR polymorphism results obtained by capillary electrophoresis served for likelihood ratio (LR) calculations. DNA concentration in relation to the cadaver's age and post-mortem interval (PMI) were analyzed. All samples (n = 9) yielded good-quality DNA in quantities (0.57-17.51 ng/µL for T. Large autosomal sequence) suitable for STR-based amplification. The isolated DNA characterized a low degradation index (0.80-1.99), and we were able to obtain complete genetic profiles. In each of the nine cases, the genotyping results allowed identifying the victims based on comparative material from the immediate family. The results demonstrate the usefulness of human intervertebral disc fibrocartilage as an alternative DNA source for the genetic identification of charred bodies or charred torso fragments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Tomsia
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Toxicology, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland.
| | - Kornelia Droździok
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Toxicology, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland
| | - Przemysław Banaszek
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Toxicology, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland
| | - Michał Szczepański
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Toxicology, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland
| | - Artur Pałasz
- Department of Histology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical School of Silesia in Katowice, Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Chełmecka
- Department of Statistics, Department of Instrumental Analysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medical University of Silesia, Ostrogórska 30, 41-200, Sosnowiec, Poland
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Díaz-Martín RD, Ambrosio JR, Flores RM, Gonzáles-Pozos S, Valencia-Caballero L. Cytoskeletal and extracellular matrix proteins resist the burning of bones. Forensic Sci Int 2019; 305:110027. [PMID: 31704515 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.110027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Due the proteins from bone remains are highly resistant to pass of time and environmental conditions, they could tell us about the events that probably happened in the past. In the forensic and physical anthropology context, burnt bone remains are one of the most common pieces of recovered evidence and, generally, they are associated with funerary practices, criminal scenes or massive catastrophic events. In the present study, bone pieces of pigs were calcined at different calcination temperatures, and proteins were searched using biochemical, immunochemical and ultrastructure visualization under these experimentally conditions. For this purpose, it was successfully developed a non-demineralizing protein extraction method from burnt bone remains and the use of specific antibodies permitted the identification of different extracellular matrix and intracellular proteins. While collagen proteins type I and IV were identified and detected under middle and high calcination temperatures (300°C and 600°C); cytoskeletal proteins as actin, tubulin and, the microtubule associated protein Tau, were found under calcination process, even up high calcination temperatures. Under ultrastructural analysis, fibrous materials with a classical disposition of collagens were observed even at high calcination temperatures of the burnt bone remains. The protein identification and characterization in burnt bones as performed in present studies, is clearly demonstrating that using specific strategies for protein characterizations it is possible to found protein biomarkers in burnt bone remains and this strategy could be useful for forensic and anthropological purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Darío Díaz-Martín
- Departamento de Innovación en Material Biológico Humano (DIMBIH), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad de México, México; Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad de México, México
| | - Javier R Ambrosio
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad de México, México
| | - Ricardo Mondragón Flores
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN), México
| | | | - Lorena Valencia-Caballero
- Departamento de Innovación en Material Biológico Humano (DIMBIH), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad de México, México.
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Gaudio D, Fernandes DM, Schmidt R, Cheronet O, Mazzarelli D, Mattia M, O'Keeffe T, Feeney RNM, Cattaneo C, Pinhasi R. Genome-Wide DNA from Degraded Petrous Bones and the Assessment of Sex and Probable Geographic Origins of Forensic Cases. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8226. [PMID: 31160682 PMCID: PMC6547751 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44638-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The acquisition of biological information and assessment of the most probable geographic origin of unidentified individuals for obtaining positive identification is central in forensic sciences. Identification based on forensic DNA, however, varies greatly in relation to degradation of DNA. Our primary aim is to assess the applicability of a petrous bone sampling method in combination with Next Generation Sequencing to evaluate the quality and quantity of DNA in taphonomically degraded petrous bones from forensic and cemetery cases. A related aim is to analyse the genomic data to obtain the molecular sex of each individual, and their most probable geographic origin. Six of seven subjects were previously identified and used for comparison with the results. To analyse their probable geographic origin, samples were genotyped for the 627.719 SNP positions. Results show that the inner ear cochlear region of the petrous bone provides good percentages of endogenous DNA (14.61–66.89%), even in the case of burnt bodies. All comparisons between forensic records and genetic results agree (sex) and are compatible (geographic origin). The application of the proposed methodology may be a powerful tool for use in forensic scenarios, ranging from missing persons to unidentified migrants who perish when crossing borders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Gaudio
- School of Archaeology and Earth Institute, University College of Dublin, Dublin 4, Belfield, Ireland.
| | - Daniel M Fernandes
- School of Archaeology and Earth Institute, University College of Dublin, Dublin 4, Belfield, Ireland.,Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14 1090, Wien, Austria.,CIAS, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ryan Schmidt
- School of Archaeology and Earth Institute, University College of Dublin, Dublin 4, Belfield, Ireland
| | - Olivia Cheronet
- School of Archaeology and Earth Institute, University College of Dublin, Dublin 4, Belfield, Ireland.,Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14 1090, Wien, Austria
| | - Debora Mazzarelli
- LabAnOF, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Mirko Mattia
- LabAnOF, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Tadhg O'Keeffe
- School of Archaeology and Earth Institute, University College of Dublin, Dublin 4, Belfield, Ireland
| | - Robin N M Feeney
- School of Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Belfield, Ireland
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LabAnOF, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 37, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Ron Pinhasi
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14 1090, Wien, Austria.
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Alunni V, Nogueira L, Quatrehomme G. Macroscopic and stereomicroscopic comparison of hacking trauma of bones before and after carbonization. Int J Legal Med 2017; 132:643-648. [PMID: 28702839 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-017-1649-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
This experimental study examined lesions produced by a hatchet on pig femurs before and after carbonization. A total of 30 lesions were produced and analyzed using stereomicroscopy and then reexamined after carbonization. Not only was the sharp-blunt mechanism of the hacking trauma (V-shape, regularity of one edge, irregularity of the other edge, upraising, lateral pushing back, fossae dug laterally to the edge) still recognizable after carbonization; in some instances, the carbonization actually enhanced the features observed. Carbonization also did not significantly alter the measurements of the lesions. Carbonization tends to alter the structure of the bone especially in areas weakened by the blunt trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Véronique Alunni
- Institut Universitaire d'Anthropologie Médico-Légale, Faculté de Médecine, and CEPAM (CNRS 7264), Université Côte d'Azur, 28 Avenue de Valombrose, 06107, Nice Cedex 2, France.
| | - Luísa Nogueira
- Institut Universitaire d'Anthropologie Médico-Légale, Faculté de Médecine, Université Côte d'Azur, 28 Avenue de Valombrose, 06107, Nice Cedex 2, France
| | - Gérald Quatrehomme
- Institut Universitaire d'Anthropologie Médico-Légale, Faculté de Médecine, and CEPAM (CNRS 7264), Université Côte d'Azur, 28 Avenue de Valombrose, 06107, Nice Cedex 2, France
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