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Updated: Apr 28, 2026
Digital PCR for Quantifying Circulating MicroRNAs in Acute Myocardial Infarction and Cardiovascular Disease
Published on: July 3, 2018
Can early myocardial infarction-related deaths be diagnosed using postmortem urotensin receptor expression levels?
Mustafa Talip Sener1, Emre Karakus, Zekai Halici
1Department of Forensic Medicine, Ataturk University School of Medicine, 25240, Erzurum, Turkey, talipsener@gmail.com.
Purpose:
Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the most prevalent causes of sudden adult death. It is difficult to diagnose early MI postmortem because there are no typical or characteristic changes in morphology. In this study, changes in the level of the mRNA for the urotensin receptor (UR) were investigated postmortem to determine the suitability of UR as a biomarker for diagnosis of early MI after death.
Methods:
An MI rat model was developed by injecting rats with isoproterenol (ISO) (lethal dose 850 mg/kg) or normal saline (control group). The hearts of rats in the control and ISO-induced MI groups were harvested at 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h (h) postmortem. The hearts were then immediately submerged in 1 mL of RNA stabilization solution and stored at 4 °C for <1 week before RNA extraction. Relative UR expression analysis was performed using the StepOne Plus Real Time PCR System with cDNA synthesized from rat heart.
Results:
Postmortem UR mRNA expression was higher in the ISO-induced MI group than in the control group, at both 4 and 20 °C, at all of the time points examined except 72 h postmortem (p < 0.0001). The largest increases were observed at ambient temperature and 6 h postmortem.
Conclusions:
Based on our findings, increased postmortem UR expression could serve as a biomarker to aid diagnosis of early MI.
Insights
Diagnosing early myocardial infarction (MI) postmortem is challenging. This study found that increased postmortem urotensin receptor (UR) mRNA expression can serve as a biomarker for early MI detection.
Area of Science:
- Biomarkers
- Forensic Pathology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause of sudden adult death.
- Early postmortem diagnosis of MI is difficult due to lack of characteristic morphological changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate postmortem changes in urotensin receptor (UR) mRNA levels.
- To determine the suitability of UR mRNA as a biomarker for early MI diagnosis after death.
Main Methods:
- Developed an MI rat model using isoproterenol (ISO).
- Harvested rat hearts at various postmortem time points (0-72 hours).
- Analyzed relative UR mRNA expression using Real-Time PCR.
Main Results:
- Postmortem UR mRNA expression was significantly higher in the MI group compared to controls.
- Elevated UR mRNA levels were observed across multiple time points and temperatures.
- The most substantial increase in UR mRNA was noted at 6 hours postmortem at ambient temperature.
Conclusions:
- Increased postmortem UR mRNA expression shows potential as a biomarker for early MI.
- UR mRNA analysis could aid in the postmortem diagnosis of myocardial infarction.
