Multivariate Analysis for Estimating the Age of a Bloodstain*

Stacey E. Anderson Ph.D.

Department of Biology, West Virginia University, PO Box 6057, Morgantown, WV 26506-6057.

Present Address: Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1095 Willowdale Road (M/S 4020), Morgantown, WV 26505.

Search for more papers by this author

Gerald R. Hobbs Ph.D.,

Gerald R. Hobbs Ph.D.

Department of Statistics, West Virginia University, PO Box 6330, Morgantown, WV 26506-6057.

Search for more papers by this author

Clifton P. Bishop Ph.D.,

Clifton P. Bishop Ph.D.

Department of Biology, West Virginia University, PO Box 6057, Morgantown, WV 26506-6057.

Search for more papers by this author

Stacey E. Anderson Ph.D.,

Stacey E. Anderson Ph.D.

Department of Biology, West Virginia University, PO Box 6057, Morgantown, WV 26506-6057.

Present Address: Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1095 Willowdale Road (M/S 4020), Morgantown, WV 26505.

Search for more papers by this author

Gerald R. Hobbs Ph.D.,

Gerald R. Hobbs Ph.D.

Department of Statistics, West Virginia University, PO Box 6330, Morgantown, WV 26506-6057.

Search for more papers by this author

Clifton P. Bishop Ph.D.,

Clifton P. Bishop Ph.D.

Department of Biology, West Virginia University, PO Box 6057, Morgantown, WV 26506-6057.

Search for more papers by this author

First published: 14 September 2010

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2010.01551.x

Citations: 46

Additional information and reprint requests:
Clifton Bishop, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Biology
West Virginia University
PO Box 6057
Morgantown, WV 26506-6057
E-mail: [email protected]

^†

Presented in part at the Fourth Annual DNA Grantees’ Workshop, June 2003, in Washington, DC.

Share a link

Email
Wechat
Bluesky

Abstract

Abstract: Our objective is to provide crime laboratories with a technique for estimating the age of a bloodstain. Toward that goal, we have used multiplexed, real-time RT-PCR (or qPCR) to determine the relative stability of different-sized segments of the same RNA species as well as differences in stability between two different RNAs’ change over time in bloodstains. Our results indicate that a multivariate analysis of the changing ratio of the different RNA segments can be used to differentiate between samples of different ages in the defined population. Bloodstains from 29 of 30 donors could be partitioned into different ages using this technique. Although further improvements will be required before this approach can be implemented in crime laboratories, the multivariate analysis holds promise of providing a reliable approach for temporally linking a bloodstain to the commission of a crime or excluding a bloodstain as being irrelevant to the case in question.

References

1 Tomellini L. De l’emplol d’une table chromatique pour les teches du sang. Arch Anthropol Crim 1907; 14: 580–2.
Google Scholar
2 Schwarz F. Quantitative untersuchungen der katalase und peroxydase in blutfleck. Beitrag zur Alterbestimmung von Blutspuren Dtsch. Z. Gesamie Gerichtl Med 1934; 27: 1–34.
10.1007/BF01750961
Google Scholar
3 Sakurai H, Tsuchiya K, Fujita Y, Okada K. Dating of human blood by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. Naturwissenschaften 1989; 76: 24–5.
10.1007/BF00368306
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
4 Fujita Y, Tsuchiya K, Abe S, Takiguchi Y, Kobo S, Sakurai H. Estimation of the age of human bloodstains by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy: long-term controlled experiment in the effects of environmental factors. Forensic Sci Int 2005; 152: 39–43.
10.1016/j.forsciint.2005.02.029
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
5 Inoue H, Takabe F, Iwasa N, Seko Y. A new marker for estimation of bloodstain age by high performance liquid chromatography. Forensic Sci Int 1992; 57(1): 17–27.
10.1016/0379-0738(92)90041-T
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
6 Andrasko J. The estimation of age of bloodstains by HPLC analysis. J Forensic Sci 1997; 42: 601–7.
10.1520/JFS14171J
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
7 Strasser S, Zink A, Kada G, Hinterdorfer P, Peschel O, Heckl WH, et al. Age determination of blood spots in forensic medicine by force spectroscopy. Forensic Sci Int 2007; 170: 8–14.
10.1016/j.forsciint.2006.08.023
PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
8 Bauer M. RNA in forensic science. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2007; 1: 69–74.
10.1016/j.fsigen.2006.11.002
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
9 Bauer M, Patzelt D. Evaluation of mRNA markers for the identification of menstrual blood. J Forensic Sci 2002; 47: 1278–82.
10.1520/JFS15560J
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
10 Juusola J, Ballantyne J. Messenger RNA profiling: a prototype method to supplant conventional methods for body fluid identification. Forensic Sci Int 2003; 135: 85–96.
10.1016/S0379-0738(03)00197-X
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
11 Nussbaumer C, Gharehbaghi-Schnell E, Korschineck I. Messenger RNA profiling: a novel method for body fluid identification by real-time PCR. Forensic Sci Int 2005; 157: 181–6.
10.1016/j.forsciint.2005.10.009
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
12 Alvarez M, Ballantyne J. The identification of newborns using messenger RNA profiling analysis. Anal Biochem 2006; 357: 21–34.
10.1016/j.ab.2006.06.024
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
13 Hanson EK, Lubenow H, Ballantyne J. Identification of forensically relevant body fluids using a panel of differentially expressed microRNAs. Anal Biochem 2009; 387: 303–14.
10.1016/j.ab.2009.01.037
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
14 Haas C, Klesser B, Maake C, Baer W, Kratzer A. rnRNA profiling for body fluid identification by reverse transcription endpoint PCR and realtime PCR. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2009; 3: 80–8.
10.1016/j.fsigen.2008.11.003
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
15 Sakurada K, Ikegaya H, Fukushima H, Akutsu T, Watanabe K, Yoshino M. Evaluation of mRNA-based approach for identification of saliva and semen. Leg Med 2009; 11: 125–8.
10.1016/j.legalmed.2008.10.002
CAS PubMed Google Scholar
16 Inoue H, Kimura A, Tuji T. Degradation profile of mRNA in a dead rat body: basic semi-quantification study. Forensic Sci Int 2002; 130: 127–32.
10.1016/S0379-0738(02)00352-3
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
17 Bauer M, Polzin S, Patzelt D. Quantification of RNA degradation by semi-quantitative duplex RT-PCR: a possible indicator of the age of bloodstains. Forensic Sci Int 2003; 138: 94–103.
10.1016/j.forsciint.2003.09.008
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
18 Schmittgen TD, Zakrajsek BA, Mills AG, Gorn V, Singer MJ, Reed MW. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to study mRNA decay: comparison of endpoint and real-time methods. Anal Biochem 2000; 285: 194–204.
10.1006/abio.2000.4753
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
19 Bustin SA. Quantification of mRNA using real-time reverse transcription PCR(RTPCR): trends and problems. J Mol Endocrinol 2002; 29: 23–39.
10.1677/jme.0.0290023
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
20 Saunders NA. An introduction to real-time PCR. In: J Logan, K Edwards, S Saunders, editors. Real-time PCR: current technology and applications. Norfolk, UK: Caister Academic Press, 2009; 1–7.
Google Scholar
21 Logan JM, Edwards KJ. An overview of PCR platforms. In: J Logan, K Edwards, S Saunders, editors. Real-time PCR: current technology and applications. Norfolk, UK: Caister Academic Press, 2009; 7–23.
Google Scholar
22 Lee MA, Squirrell DJ, Leslie DL, Brown T. Homogeneous fluorescent chemistries for real-time PCR. In: J Logan, K Edwards, S Saunders, editors. Real-time PCR: current technology and applications. Norfolk, UK: Caister Academic Press, 2009; 23–47.
Google Scholar
23 Anderson S, Howard B, Hobbs GR, Bishop CP. A method for determining the age of a bloodstain. Forensic Sci Int 2005; 148: 37–45.
10.1016/j.forsciint.2004.04.071
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar
24 Livak KJ, Schmittgen TD. Analysis of relative gene expression data using real-time quantitative PCR and the 2^−ΔΔCt method. Methods 2001; 25: 402–8.
10.1006/meth.2001.1262
CAS PubMed Web of Science® Google Scholar

Citing Literature

Volume56, Issue1

January 2011

Pages 186-193

Multivariate Analysis for Estimating the Age of a Bloodstain*

Abstract

References

Citing Literature

References

Information

About Wiley Online Library

Help & Support

Opportunities

Connect with Wiley

Multivariate Analysis for Estimating the Age of a Bloodstain*

Abstract

References

Citing Literature

References

Related

Information