title: A molecular method to correlate bloodstains with wound site for crime scene reconstruction.
abstract: Bloodstain pattern analysis to determine the wound-of-origin of bloodstains is problematic with nonspecific patterns. In this proof-of-concept study, the authors examined a molecular approach to correlate bloodstains with injuries using the rat as a model. Specifically, investigations were conducted on the rat brain marker, rno-miR-124-3p, with the QIAGEN miScript System and real-time PCR analysis. Rno-miR-124-3p was detected in brain homogenates diluted 100,000 times; in 3-week-old, room temperature stored, simulated brain-blood stains; and in bloodstains from head gunshot wounds collected with swabs and subsequently frozen for 9-18 months; however, rno-miR-124-3p was not detected in whole blood. Proof-of-principle was demonstrated by the ability to distinguish bloodstains from a gunshot wound to the head versus bloodstains from a gunshot wound to the chest, by the testing of otherwise identical bloodstains from the two patterns for the presence of the marker. The results suggest a viable approach to a longstanding problem in casework.
authors.affiliation: School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, California State University, 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles, CA, 90032; California Forensic Science Institute, California State University, 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles, CA, 90032.
authors.forename: Donald J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Scriven
authors.forename: Amberly N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Mo Re
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: Ray D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: de Leon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001801:Blood Stains; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D020197:Head Injuries, Penetrating / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D023421:Models, Animal; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000378:metabolism; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C548144:MIRN124 microRNA, rat; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: animal model; bloodstain patterns; crime scene reconstruction; criminalistics; forensic biology; forensic science; microRNA; wounds