Journal Published Online: 01 January 2002
Volume 47, Issue 1

Estimation of Postmortem Interval from Hypoxic Inducible Levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor

CODEN: JFSCAS

Abstract

Estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) is one of the most important tasks in forensic medicine. Five autopsy organ tissues such as brain, lungs, heart, liver, and kidneys were taken at the time of forensic autopsy from 19 known PMI cases with a range of postmortem intervals ranging from 1 to 120 h (the mean was 25.81 h), and the time-course of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression was measured. The human hepatoma-derived Hep 3B cell line was used as a control.

The levels of VEGF increased linearly with the PMI up to 20 h in lung (r = 0.95 and in kidney (r = 0.89), and up to 15 h PMI in liver (r = 0.88). The VEGF levels fell after 24 h PMI, and then remained stable. In brain, the levels of VEGF started to increase after 24 h PMI and increased linearly with PMI up to 40 h in brain (r = 0.94) and then begin to fall. In heart, there was no clear correlation between the PMI and VEGF level. Some variations occurred in selected cases, such as the infant and asphyxial deaths.

In conclusion, measurement of hypoxia-inducible levels of VEGF in various body organs appears to be a useful method of estimating the PMI up to 24 h in forensic medicine and pathophysiology. This method is also probably applicable in ischaemia in clinical and basic medicine.

Author Information

Thaik-Oo, M
Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Tanaka, E
Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Tsuchiya, T
Research Project for Oxygen Response, Japan Space Forum, National Space Development Agency of Japan, Tokyo, Japan
Kominato, Y
Faculty of Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, Japan
Honda, K
Course of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine F3, Osaka, Japan
Yamazaki, K
Tsukuba Medical Examiner's Office, Tsukuba Medical Center, Tsukuba, Japan
Misawa, S
Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Pages: 4
Price: $25.00
Related
Reprints and Permissions
Reprints and copyright permissions can be requested through the
Copyright Clearance Center
Details
Stock #: JFS15222J
ISSN: 0022-1198
DOI: 10.1520/JFS15222J