Assessment of the Specificity and Stability of Micro-RNAs as a Forensic Gene Marker

Abstract

Abstract Background: Forensic investigations depend on bodily fluid analysis to identify the perpetrators. Identifying perpetrators requires knowledge about suspects’ body fluids. Due to their durability and tissue-specific expression patterns, miRNAs may be forensic indicators. However, miRNA expression patterns in various bodily fluids are seldom compared. This study examined miR-372, miR-135p, miR-124-3p, miR-16, and miR-10b expression in seminal fluids, blood stains, and vaginal secretions using quantitative PCR using SNORD-47 as a reference gene. This research compared miRNA expression levels in diverse body fluids to assess their potential as forensic biomarkers. MicroRNAs were isolated from forensic blood, seminal fluids, and vaginal mixed stains. Methods: Quantitative PCR measured miR-372, miR-135p, miR-124-3p, miR-16, and miR-10b gene expression. Normalization utilized SNORD-47. These miRNAs were compared in various bodily fluids. Results: The analysis of the results revealed that three bodily fluids have unique miRNA expression patterns. Seminal fluids expressed considerably more miR-135b and miR-10b than vaginal secretions. Vaginal fluids expressed more miR-372 and miR-124-3p than seminal fluids. Blood fluids expressed more miR-126 and miR-16 than seminal and vaginal fluids. Conclusion: MiR-126, miR-16, miR-372, and miR-124-3p were considerably more significant than SNORD-47 in blood, vaginal secretions, and seminal fluids.