Title

Messenger Rna Profiling: A Prototype Method To Supplant Conventional Methods For Body Fluid Identification

Keywords

Body fluid identification; mRNA profiling; RNA; Saliva identification

Abstract

Conventional methods of body fluid identification use a variety of labor-intensive, technologically diverse techniques that are performed in a series, not parallel, manner and are costly in terms of time and sample. Theoretically, the identification of a body fluid may be made by determining a sufficient number of mRNAs that are expressed exclusively in cells that collectively comprise that body fluid. Advantages of an mRNA-based approach, compared to conventional biochemical methods of analysis, include greater specificity, simultaneous and semi-automatic analysis through a common assay format, improved timeliness, decreased sample consumption and compatibility with DNA extraction methodologies. In this report, we demonstrate that RNA is stable in biological stains and can be recovered in sufficient quantity and quality for analysis. Messenger RNA from the housekeeping genes S15, β-actin and GAPDH was detected in blood, semen and saliva stains using a sensitive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay (RT-PCR). Additionally, we have identified a number of candidate tissue-specific genes, statherin, histatin 3, PRB1, PRB2 and PRB3 that may be useful for the positive identification of saliva. Messenger RNAs from these genes were detectable in saliva stains but not in blood or semen stains. Collectively these findings constitute the basis of a prototype RNA based assay system that may eventually supplant conventional methods for body fluid identification. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Publication Date

8-12-2003

Publication Title

Forensic Science International

Volume

135

Issue

2

Number of Pages

85-96

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(03)00197-X

Socpus ID

0043032926 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/0043032926

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