Forensic evidence

A group working in Nagasaki University, Japan, have found that four genes were more active when a mouse is strangled. This finding could potentially be useful in forensic medicine. This finding adds to the accumulating evidence that gene expression can be activity can help elucidating the cause of death in forensics.

The study published in Legal Medicine studied four groups of mice. Two groups were sacrificed by strangulation using a string, while two control groups were sacrificed by decapiation. Gene expression was studied immediately after death or 30 minutes after death. It was found that the four genes became active only in the strangulated group. The analysis was done on skin samples.

Future work could focus on the function of these genes, with a likely function as a response to oxygen deprivation. Also, its usefulness to human cases remains to be tested.

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