Caspase 9 and Caspase 3 Immunohistochemical Pattern in Skeletal and Cardiac Muscles at Different Times after Death: An Experimental Study on PMI Estimation
Cristina Mondello,
Chiara Stassi,
Letteria Minutoli,
Gennaro Baldino,
Angela Alibrandi,
Giovanni Francesco Spatola,
Maria Laura Uzzo,
Antonio Micali,
Domenico Puzzolo,
Alessio Asmundo,
Elvira Ventura Spagnolo
Affiliations
Cristina Mondello
Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 1, 98125 Messina, Italy
Chiara Stassi
Legal Medicine Section, Department for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro, 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Letteria Minutoli
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 1, 98125 Messina, Italy
Gennaro Baldino
Legal Medicine Section, Department for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro, 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Angela Alibrandi
Unit of Statistical and Mathematical Sciences, Department of Economics, University of Messina, Via dei Verdi 75, 98122 Messina, Italy
Giovanni Francesco Spatola
Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), University of Palermo, Via del Vespro, 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Maria Laura Uzzo
Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), University of Palermo, Via del Vespro, 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Antonio Micali
Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 1, 98125 Messina, Italy
Domenico Puzzolo
Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 1, 98125 Messina, Italy
Alessio Asmundo
Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 1, 98125 Messina, Italy
Elvira Ventura Spagnolo
Legal Medicine Section, Department for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro, 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy
(1) Background: The estimation of the post mortem interval (PMI) is a challenge for forensic pathologists because data emerging from methods commonly applied are not always conclusive, since several conditions exist that may affect the reliability of these parameters. Thus, new approaches have been proposed to overcome such a limit. In recent years, several studies have been performed on proteins analyzing their expression/degradation patterns in relation to the progressing of the post mortem interval. (2) Methods: The immunoreactivity patterns of two apoptosis mediators—Caspase 9 and Caspase 3—have been tested in order to evaluate their potential role as markers of the post mortem interval. The immunohistochemical analysis was performed on samples of skeletal and cardiac muscles obtained from rats at 0, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 72 h after death. (3) Results: The observed immunoreactivity patterns of both Caspase 9 and Caspase 3 showed a significant correlation with increasing post mortem interval either in skeletal or cardiac muscles, while the comparison of the immunoreactivity patterns of the two apoptotic mediators within each tissue appeared consistent with a preliminary activation of the “initiator” Caspase 9, which, in turn, subsequently activates the “executioner” Caspase 3. (4) Conclusion: The different expressions and decrease immunohistochemically observed on both caspases with progressing PMI support the usefulness of the combined analysis for post mortem interval estimation.
