[A preliminary study on estimation of postmortem interval according to beta-actin mRNA stability in rat].
OBJECTIVE
In order to find a new parameter to estimate the postmortem interval, beta-actin mRNA in lung and thoracic muscle of rats was detected at different time point postmortem.


METHODS
Rats were killed by neck dislocation and left in a temperature controlling system at 21 degrees C for 12 days postmortem. Total RNA in lung and thoracic muscle at different time point was extracted and beta-actin mRNA expression was examined by RT-PCR. Semi-quantification analysis of the image of electrophoresis was performed to confirm the changes of beta-actin mRNA expression.


RESULTS
beta-actin mRNA in lung of rats still could be detected at 12 days postmortem, but-disappeared in thoracic muscle at 8 days postmortem.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of beta-actin mRNA in lung and thoracic muscle could be a new parameter for estimation of PMI.
Xiao
Jun-hui
JH
Department of forensic pathology, preliminary medical college of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China. xiaoxiaopost@163.com
Chen
Yu-chuan
YC
Wang
Jiang-feng
JF
D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010369:Pectoralis Muscles / Q000378:metabolism*; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors
D000199:Actins; D012333:RNA, Messenger