Messenger RNA profiling for forensic body fluid identification: research and applications.
Identifying the origin of body fluids left at a crime scene can give a significant insight into crime scene reconstruction by supporting a link between sample donors and actual criminal acts. However, the conventional body fluid identification methods are prone to various limitations, such as time consumption, intensive labor, nonparallel manner, varying degrees of sensitivity and limited specificity. Recently, the analysis of cell-specific messenger RNA expression (mRNA profiling) has been proposed to supplant conventional methods for body fluid identification. Since 2011, the collaborative exercises have been organized by the European DNA Profiling Group (EDNAP) in order to evaluate the robustness and reproducibility of mRNA profiling for body fluid identification. The major advantages of mRNA profiling, compared to the conventional methods, include higher sensitivity, greater specificity, the ability of detecting several body fluids in one multiplex reaction, and compatibility with current DNA extraction and analysis procedure. In the current review, we provided an overview of the present knowledge and detection methodologies of mRNA profiling for forensic body fluid identification and discussed its possible practical application to forensic casework.
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Justice, PR China, Shanghai 200063, China. wangzhengtim@163.com
Zheng
Z
Wang
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Justice, PR China, Shanghai 200063, China.
Su-hua
SH
Zhang
Department of Forensic Genetics, West China School of Basic Science and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Zhou
Z
Di
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Justice, PR China, Shanghai 200063, China.
Shu-min
SM
Zhao
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Justice, PR China, Shanghai 200063, China.
Cheng-tao
CT
Li
D001801:Blood Stains; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry*; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D017931:DNA Primers; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry
D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA