[Relationship between the degradation of myoglobin and postmortem interval].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the degradation of myoglobin in skeletal and cardiac muscles after death and to explore its usefulness in estimation of postmortem interval.


METHODS
Human skeletal and cardiac muscles were collected at 0, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hours after death and stored at 25 degrees C. The protein was extracted and examined and analyzed by Western blot and imaging technique.


RESULTS
Myoglobin showed a continuously postmortem degradation in both skeletal and cardiac muscles. There was no observed difference in degradation between the two tissues.


CONCLUSIONS
Changes in myoglobin degradation could be a useful parameter for estimation of the postmortem interval.
Bian
Jie
J
Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China. geniusbian@gmail.com
Shen
Yi-Wen
YW
Zhao
Zi-Qin
ZQ
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D009211:Myoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013997:Time Factors
D000199:Actins; D009211:Myoglobin