Advances in Forensic Entomotoxicology for Decomposed Corpses: A Review

Area of Science:

• Forensic Science
• Toxicology
• Entomology

Background:

• Forensic entomotoxicology uses insects to detect drugs and toxicants in decomposed remains when other samples are unavailable.
• Toxic substances can alter insect development, physiology, and community succession, impacting postmortem interval (PMI) estimations.
• Current research often relies on phenotypic observations, lacking insight into molecular mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the effects of xenobiotics on insect larvae.
• To explore the role of insect detoxification systems in xenobiotic metabolism.
• To highlight advances in multi-omics for identifying molecular biomarkers of xenobiotic exposure.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of studies on xenobiotic effects (pesticides, drugs, heavy metals, antibiotics) on forensically relevant flies.
• Analysis of phenotypic and molecular data related to insect development and physiology.
• Focus on insect detoxification systems, including cytochrome P450s, GSTs, and ABC transporters.

Main Results:

• Xenobiotics significantly impact larval growth, physiology, and gut microbial composition.
• Interspecies and dose-dependent variability in xenobiotic absorption and metabolism is observed.
• Insect detoxification systems (P450s, GSTs, ABC transporters) and the fat body are key in mediating responses.

Conclusions:

• Toxicant exposure in decomposed remains affects insect bioindicators, complicating PMI estimation.
• Multi-omics technologies offer promise for identifying molecular biomarkers in insect detoxification.
• The insect fat body is a critical hub for understanding xenobiotic effects on development and metabolism.