title: The effect of elapsed time on cardiac troponin-T (cTnT) degradation and its dependency on the cause of death.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of elapsed time on cardiac troponin-T degradation and its dependency on the cause of death.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cases included in this study were divided into six groups depending upon the cause of death without any prior history of disease that died in the hospital and their exact time of death was known. The analysis involves extraction of the protein, separation by denaturing gel electrophoresis and visualization by Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Western blot data shows the rate of degradation of cTnT into lower molecular weight fragments with respect to time. In cases of control group the greatest amount of protein breakdown was observed within the first 64 h while in MI cases within first 6 h, the original band of cTnT (42 kDa) decreased markedly into seven major fragments, with 25 kDa & 20 kDa fragments being the most prominent. In burn group, at 41.40 h blot shows maximum fragmentation. In electrocution group the greatest amount of protein breakdown was observed within the first 50 Hrs. Within asphyxia cases, the original band of cTnT (42 kDa) decreased markedly into many major and minor fragments which continues up to 210 Hrs while the original band of cTnT (42 kDa) in poisoning cases decreased markedly into many major & minor fragments up to 140 h but after it blot shows only intact protein of very less intensity with few minor fragments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It can be observed that in case of death due to MI, the intact cTnI fragmented at a much faster rate than in burn, electrocution, control, poisoning and asphyxia group. Thus, the rate of fragmentation of intact cTnT into lower molecular weight fragments depends upon the cause of death.
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Department of Pathology, King George's Medical University UP, Lucknow, India. Electronic address: sachilvohra@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sachil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Department of Pathology, King George's Medical University UP, Lucknow, India. Electronic address: aliwahid78@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Wahid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, King George's Medical University UP, Lucknow, India. Electronic address: drsbhattacharya@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, King George's Medical University UP, Lucknow, India. Electronic address: vermakgmc@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Anoop K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Verma
mesh_terms: D001237:Asphyxia / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002056:Burns / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004556:Electric Injuries / Q000097:blood; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood; D011041:Poisoning / Q000097:blood; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013997:Time Factors; D020107:Troponin T / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020107:Troponin T
keywords: Asphyxia; Burn; Cause of death; Degradation; Electrocution; MI