Estimation of the time of death by clock gene mRNA expression

本研究假设昼夜节律相关基因mRNA的表达水平与死亡时间相关，以期建立一种新的分子生物学技术在法医学领域的推断方法。选择Arntl、Clock、Cry和Per2作为靶基因，用于在每6小时间隔处死的小鼠中进行实时PCR分析。脑、肾中某些基因表达的动态变化可能有助于推测死亡时间。

We hypothesized that circadian rhythm-related gene mRNA expression level correlates to the time of death in order to establish the new estimation method using molecular biological techniques in forensic field. Arntl, Clock, Cry, and Per2 were chosen as target genes for realtime-PCR analysis in mice sacrificed every 6 hrs interval. Some genes showing dynamic expression change in Brain or Kidney seemed to be useful to estimate the time of death.