title: Post-mortem Peyer's patches: their potential application in forensic medicine.
abstract: Pro-inflammatory mediators hold important functions in human body in response to infection, trauma and vascular disease. However, their action is down regulated by the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines, thus restoring a balance which reflects the immune status of a given individual. Recent studies have stressed out the importance of circulating levels of cytokines for forensic purposes even if there is a lack of studies regarding the role of post-mortem mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. In this respect, Peyer's patches (PP), represent one of the most important immunological site of the body and the major component of the gut -associated lymphoid tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate post-mortem PP immune response in 40 serial autopsy cases of people who died from natural and traumatic death. The study examined spontaneous release of the following cytokines by fresh isolated PP cells: interleukin (IL)-12, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, IL-10, IL-6, IL-1 beta, and IL-8. Results will show that higher levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-1 beta, and IL-8 are statistically correlated with the traumatic death group. From a forensic point of view these data demonstrate that fundamental lymphoid organs, such as PP, may have a potential in diagnosing the cause of death.
authors.affiliation: Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Public Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. bisola@tin.it
authors.forename: Biagio
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Solarino
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Vella
authors.forename: Thea
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Magrone
authors.forename: Felicita
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jirillo
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tafaro
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Piscitelli
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casiello
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Amati
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jirillo
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tattoli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines