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Postmortem mRNA quantification for investigation of infantile death: a comparison with adult cases
Dong Zhao1, Takaki Ishikawa, Li Quan
1Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, 545-8585 Osaka, Japan. zhaodong99@hotmail.com
Insights
Postmortem mRNA analysis reveals distinct patterns in adults but not infants, making it difficult to differentiate causes of death like pulmonary infection and mechanical asphyxiation in infants. This finding impacts forensic pathology.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Pathology
- Molecular Biology
- Pediatric Autopsy
Background:
- Postmortem mRNA quantification shows diagnostic potential for determining cause of death.
- Previous research focused on adults, necessitating investigation into pediatric cases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare postmortem mRNA levels of glucose transporter (GLUT1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in infantile versus adult cases.
- To assess the utility of mRNA analysis in differentiating between mechanical asphyxiation and pulmonary infection in different age groups.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative mRNA analysis using TaqMan real-time RT-PCR for GLUT1 and VEGF.
- Samples analyzed included bilateral lungs and skeletal muscle (sartorius) from autopsy cases (n=58) within 48 hours postmortem.
- Cases comprised infants, elderly children, and adults with known causes of death (mechanical asphyxiation, pulmonary infection).
Main Results:
- Adults showed distinct mRNA profiles: lower lung VEGF and higher skeletal muscle GLUT1 in pulmonary infection vs. asphyxiation.
- Infants did not exhibit significant differences in lung mRNA levels between the two causes of death.
- Infants displayed higher lung VEGF and higher skeletal muscle GLUT1/VEGF compared to adults in specific scenarios.
Conclusions:
- Postmortem mRNA analysis may not reliably distinguish between mechanical asphyxiation and pulmonary infection in infants due to similar molecular patterns.
- Age-dependent differences in mRNA expression exist, influencing the interpretation of molecular markers in forensic investigations.
- Further research is needed to refine molecular diagnostic tools for pediatric forensic pathology.
Abstract:
Previous studies suggested the diagnostic significance of postmortem mRNA quantification in investigating the death process. The present study investigated infantile cases compared with adult cases. Autopsy cases (n=58, within 48 h postmortem) comprised infants (<1 year of age: mechanical asphyxiation, n=5; pulmonary infection, n=14), elderly children (2-8 years of age; pulmonary infection, n=3), and adults (>20 years of age: mechanical asphyxiation, n=21; pulmonary infection, n=13). Quantitative mRNA analyses of glucose transporter (GLUT1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by TaqMan real-time RT-PCR were performed for the bilateral lungs and skeletal muscle (sartorius). In adult cases, lower levels of VEGF mRNA in the lung and higher GLUT1 mRNA in the skeletal muscle were found for pulmonary infection than for asphyxiation. However, there was no significant difference between these causes of death for infants. Compared with adult cases, infantile cases showed a higher VEGF mRNA level in the lungs for pulmonary infection, and higher GLUT1 and VEGF mRNA levels in the skeletal muscle for asphyxiation. For pulmonary infection, both mRNA levels in the skeletal muscle were similar in infantile and adult cases. In older child cases of pulmonary infection, the pulmonary mRNA level of GLUT1 was similar to that in adult cases, and that of VEGF was intermediate between infant and adult levels. These findings indicate a similar death process due to pulmonary infection and asphyxiation in infants; thus, it may be difficult to distinguish these causes of death.
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