A Time Course Study Demonstrating mRNA, microRNA, 18S rRNA, and U6 snRNA Changes to Estimate PMI in Deceased Rat's Spleen†
Ye-hui Lv M.S.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Medical School of Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorKai-jun Ma B.S.
Forensic lab, Criminal Science and Technology Institute, Shanghai Public Security Bureau, 200082 Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorHeng Zhang M.S.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Medical School of Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorMeng He M.S.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Medical School of Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorPing Zhang M.S.
Children's Hospital of Fudan University, 201102, Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorYi-wen Shen Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Medical School of Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorNan Jiang M.S.
Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorDuan Ma Ph.D.
Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Long Chen Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Medical School of Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
Additional information and reprint requests:
Long Chen, Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine,
Shanghai Medical School of Fudan University
200032 Shanghai
China
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorYe-hui Lv M.S.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Medical School of Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorKai-jun Ma B.S.
Forensic lab, Criminal Science and Technology Institute, Shanghai Public Security Bureau, 200082 Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorHeng Zhang M.S.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Medical School of Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorMeng He M.S.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Medical School of Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorPing Zhang M.S.
Children's Hospital of Fudan University, 201102, Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorYi-wen Shen Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Medical School of Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorNan Jiang M.S.
Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorDuan Ma Ph.D.
Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Long Chen Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Medical School of Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China
Additional information and reprint requests:
Long Chen, Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine,
Shanghai Medical School of Fudan University
200032 Shanghai
China
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Determining the postmortem interval (PMI) is important in criminal, civil, and forensic cases. We examined the feasibility of using the transcript abundances of mRNAs, 18S rRNA, U6 snRNA, and microRNAs as a means to estimate the PMI. We removed spleen tissues from rats at different PMIs under 4°C or 25°C and examined gene transcript abundances in these samples by RT-qPCR. Using the algorithm geNorm, we found that microRNAs to be appropriate control markers because they were less affected by PMI and temperature. We also characterized relationships between observed PMI and the transcript levels of the above-mentioned RNAs. GAPDH1 and ACTB1 fluctuated slightly like cubic curves, while GAPDH2 and ACTB2 decreased rapidly. 18S rRNA transcript level exhibited a parabolic-like trend at 25°C and exponential growth at 4°C, while U6 transcript level exhibited exponential decay at 25°C and a parabolic-like trend at 4°C. Following validation, we conclude that GAPDH2, ACTB2, and 18S rRNA are suitable makers in the accurate determination of PMI.
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