title: [Relationship between RNA degradation and postmortem interval in mice].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the degradation changes of beta-actin mRNA and 18S rRNA in different time points and temperature after death, and to explore the relationship between the changes and postmortem interval (PMI) in the brain of mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four health adult C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into two groups (12 each group). They were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and placed in chamber with two different temperature (4 degrees C and 37 degrees C, humidity was 80%). The mice brains were sampled at 6 different time points(immediately, 0.5h, 2h, 6h, 24h, 48h), and total brain RNA were extracted. Ct value of each sample was obtained using RT-PCR and real-time PCR technology, and beta-actin mRNA and 18S rRNA content ratio was calculated. The correlation between the content ratio and PMI was expressed using statistical regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 37 degrees C, RNA degradation rate was faster than 4 degrees C, which showed that there was correlation between temperature and RNA degradation. Comparing with the stability of beta-actin mRNA, 18S rRNA was more stable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study on degradation of beta-actin mRNA and 18S rRNA in mice brain using real time PCR technology could provide a new theoretical basis for estimation of PMI and would be supplementary to the traditional methods.
authors: West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China. zhuyi0216@gmail.com
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Zhu
authors: Ying-Chun
authors: YC
authors: Dong
authors: Wei-Bo
authors: WB
authors: Liang
authors: Lin
authors: L
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D020871:RNA Stability; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S