MicroRNAs as Useful Tools to Estimate Time Since Death. A Systematic Review of Current Literature

Area of Science:

• Forensic Medicine
• Molecular Biology
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Estimating the time of death (post-mortem interval, PMI) is a significant challenge in forensic medicine.
• MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are recognized biomarkers in various pathologies and show potential in forensic applications.
• MiRNAs offer high sensitivity in body fluids and tissues, aiding in wound age determination and PMI evaluation due to their molecular characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the potential of microRNAs (miRNAs) as biomarkers for post-mortem interval (PMI) estimation.
• To analyze the current scientific literature on the forensic applications of miRNAs in determining time of death.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review (PRISMA) standards.
• Electronic databases (PubMed, Science Direct Scopus, EMBASE) were searched from inception to August 12, 2020.
• Search terms included combinations of "PMI miRNA", "PMI micro RNA", "miRNA", and "time of death" in titles, abstracts, and keywords.

Main Results:

• Analysis of scientific literature indicates that miRNAs possess intrinsic characteristics making them suitable as endogenous markers for PMI determination.
• Key properties include low molecular weight and tissue-specific expression, contributing to their resistance to degradation.
• The findings suggest miRNAs are promising biomarkers for evaluating the time since death.

Conclusions:

• MicroRNAs (miRNAs) demonstrate significant potential as reliable endogenous markers for estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI).
• Their stability and specific expression patterns support their use in forensic science for time of death determination.
• Further comprehensive studies utilizing human samples and standardized protocols are essential to validate these findings.