Expression of adhesion molecules in skin wounds: diagnostic value in legal medicine

The adhesion molecules identified in recent years can help improve the diagnosis of the wound age, especially of injuries with a short survival time. This is also indicative of the vitality of the wounds. The material investigated in the study originated from 465 skin wounds. The samples were taken from human autopsy material, during the surgical treatment of wounds (excision) of patients and from experimental incised wounds of mice. To judge the age of skin wounds the endothelial adhesion molecules were detected in paraffin sections after autoclaving and using the ABC technique. Human skin wounds: strong positive staining was observed of ICAM-1 1.5 h at the earliest and 3.5 days at the latest, for the P-selectin 3 min at the earliest and 7 h at the latest, for the E-selectin 1 h at the earliest and 17 days at the latest and for VCAM-1 3 h at the earliest and 3.5 days at the latest after the time of injury. The L-selectin was expressed constitutively. Mice skin wounds: strong positive immunohistochemical reactions were found as a rule earlier than in human skin wounds. The detection of an increased expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and P- and E-selectins can improve the wound age assessment in injuries with short survival times.     

皮肤切创愈合中caspase-3表达的免疫组化研究

目的探讨皮肤切创损伤愈合过程中,caspase-3在损伤区内的表达以及不同损伤时间caspase-3的变化规律。方法应用免疫组织化学技术对33例不同损伤时间小鼠皮肤切创组织中caspase-3的表达进行研究。同时以3例非切创小鼠皮肤组织做对照。结果伤后6h的损伤皮肤组织中可见少量中性粒细胞表达caspase-3,伤后12～24h,大部分浸润的中性粒细胞及部分单核细胞为caspase-3阳性。随伤后时间延长,caspase-3阳性细胞以单核细胞及成纤维细胞为主。伤后0～3h,caspase-3阳性细胞比率较低,为(4.53±6.53)%,12h后逐渐增加,伤后3d达高峰,为(62.66±4.84)%,其后逐渐下降。结论小鼠皮肤损伤愈合过程中,caspase-3可能在诱导损伤区内中性粒细胞、单核巨噬细胞及成纤维细胞发生凋亡过程中发挥重要作用,同时,caspase-3的规律性表达可用于损伤时间的推断。     

大鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中泛素的表达及其法医学意义

目的观察大鼠皮肤切创后泛素(ubiquitin)表达的变化规律。方法应用免疫组化方法,观察大鼠皮肤切创后1、3、6、12h和1、3、6、10、14d ubiquitin的表达情况,并用图像分析系统进行图像分析。结果正常对照组大鼠皮肤有低水平ubiquitin表达,切创后ubiquitin表达增加,伤后6d达峰值,伤后10d开始下降,伤后14d恢复到正常水平。结论ubiquitin可作为法医学损伤时间推断的有效指标。     

小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中caspase-6、-7表达的免疫组织化学研究

目的　观察皮肤切创损伤愈合过程中 ,caspase 6、 7在损伤周边区内的表达及其变化规律。方法　应用免疫组织化学技术观察伤后不同时间小鼠皮肤切创组织中caspase 6、 7的表达 ,以非切创小鼠皮肤组织作对照。 结果　伤后 6h的损伤皮肤组织中可见少量多核粒细胞表达caspase 6、 7,伤后 12～ 2 4h ,大部分浸润的多核粒细胞及部分单核细胞为caspase 6、 7阳性。随伤后时间延长 ,caspase 6、 7阳性细胞以单核细胞及成纤维细胞为主。伤后 0～ 3h ,caspase 6、 7阳性细胞比率较低 ,12h后逐渐增加 ,伤后 3d达高峰 ,其后逐渐下降。 结论　小鼠皮肤损伤愈合过程中 ,caspase 6、 7在损伤周边区内中性粒细胞 ,单核细胞及成纤维细胞中表达 ,其时序性变化规律可望用于皮肤损伤时间的推断。     

损伤经过时间的实验研究

作者在全身麻醉及无菌条件下,通过在大白鼠背部皮肤造成的切创创口,于伤后不同时间杀死.每组中1只于处死前8小时注射秋水仙碱以观察核分裂.取损伤处皮肤,经福尔马林固定、石蜡切片、HE染色、Gorden和Sweet染色(网状纤维)、Weigert染色(弹力纤维)、PTAH染色(纤维蛋白)和Van Gieson染色,于显微镜下观察.结果发现创口逐日缩小,但其中24小时创口较12小时创口有所扩大,伤后第6～7日创口呈突击式缩小.通过组织学变化观察,作者对创口收缩现象在判断损伤时间的意义及形成机理作了讨论.     

The significance of collagen in determining the age of a wound

The aim of the present study was to find out whether the quantitative and/or qualitative analysis of collagen can be useful in the determination of the age of healing skin wounds in various body regions of patients of different ages and sex. The quantitative measurement of total wound collagen revealed no clear time-dependent changes. Immunohistochemical staining for collagen types I and III demonstrated the presence of type III as early as 2 days after injury. Procollagen type I was found in wounds beginning from 4 days on, while type I collagen was not present before 6 days after the injury. Immunohistochemical analysis of specific basement membrane proteins, collagen type IV and laminin, showed a reconstruction of the epithelial basement membrane beginning from on day 5, while a completely rebuilt basement membrane was found in most cases after more than 14 days, depending on the dimension of the wound and its treatment.     

小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中caspase-8表达的研究

目的检测皮肤切创愈合过程中caspase-8的表达,探讨用caspase-8表达的规律推测皮肤损伤时间。方法建立小鼠皮肤切创模型,应用免疫组织化学技术和Western blot方法检测切创后不同时间皮肤中caspase-8的表达,以未切创小鼠皮肤组织作对照。结果伤后12~24h的损伤皮肤组织中部分单核细胞表达caspase-8。随伤后时间延长,caspase-8阳性细胞以单核细胞及成纤维细胞为主。结论伤后3~6h,caspase-8阳性细胞比率较低,12h后逐渐升高,3d达到高峰,以后逐渐下降。实验组中,1、3、5、7d组可见明显的caspase-8活化片段,位于分子量Marker44/42处。结论小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中,caspase-8在损伤区单核细胞及成纤维细胞中表达,其时序性变化规律可望用于皮肤损伤时间的推断。     

Complement component C3a or C3a desArg as a new marker for estimation of local vital reactions in incised skin wounds.

The anaphylatoxin C3a or its desArg form (C3a/desArg) generated during complement activation could be detected in the vicinity of incised skin wounds of guinea pigs using immunoblotting methods. The C3a/desArg peptides were detectable immediately after injury in local sites up to 3 mm from the wound edge. In subsequent determinations of up to at least 3-day-old antemortem wounds, the maximum concentration of these peptides was largely localized up to 6 mm from the wound edge at 2 h after injury. In postmortem wounds, however, these peptides were undetectable. When they were released in antemortem wounded tissues they could be detected up to 1 day at 22 degrees C after death. These results suggest that the detection of C3a/desArg in wounds using immunoblotting methods can be useful for distinguishing ante- from postmortem wounds.     

Quantitative analysis of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha) in human skin wounds

Proinflammatory cytokines play an important role in the mediation of inflammation and trauma. They could be useful for the determination of vitality and wound age. In the present study, 144 human skin wounds due to sharp force were investigated. The material was collected during operations (N=96) and postmortem examinations (N=48). The wound age varied from several seconds or minutes to 9 days. Control skin was available in each individual. The tissue specimens were homogenized and extracted in a solution of PBS and protease inhibitors. Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were measured by quantitative ELISA analysis. Statistical evaluation was performed by the t-test using the quotients of levels (wound sample/control skin). In surgical specimens the cytokine levels revealed a clear tendency to increase with wound age. IL-1beta in early skin wounds (24 h, P<0.05). The quantitative analysis of proinflammatory cytokines in wound extracts can contribute to the determination of vitality and wound age, in particular in the very early post-traumatic interval (classic stab wounds).     

Immunohistochemical study of basic fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor expression for age determination of cutaneous wounds

The authors investigated the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) during skin wound healing using immunohistochemical techniques. After a full-thickness incision was made on the dorsal skin, mice were killed 0.5, 1, 3, 8, 24, 72, 144, or 240 hours after incision, and the wound was excised. To evaluate the influences of postmortem degeneration, cutaneous wound excision was performed 1 to 5 days after the mice were killed. The excised wounds were stained by the conventional streptoavidin-biotinylated peroxidase complex method, using specific antibodies, and the ratio of the number of positive cells to total cells was determined. Expression of bFGF was detected in the nuclei of epidermal cells and fibroblasts in the early 0.5- to 1-hour phases and the late 24- to 144-hour phases. Expression of VEGF was detected in the cytoplasm of epidermal cells in the 24- to 144-hour phases. Immunoreactivity of both cytokines was detected 1 day post mortem and was especially well preserved in the fibroblasts. Time-dependent expression of both factors suggested that they would be useful markers for the determination of wound age. However, bFGF should be superior to VEGF because of its earlier expression and because of its more persistent expression in dermal fibroblasts with increasing postmortem interval.     

Transforming growth factors (TGF-alpha and TGF-beta1) in the determination of vitality and wound age: immunohistochemical study on human skin wounds

In continuation of former investigations on proinflammatory cytokines, in the present study the relevance of the transforming growth factors TGF-alpha and TGF-beta1 was evaluated for the diagnosis of vitality and wound age. Paraffin sections from human skin wounds due to sharp force influence, which had been collected in operations and autopsies, were investigated using immunohistochemistry. The wound age varied from a few minutes to a maximum of 6 weeks with focus on the early post-traumatic interval up to 5h. Samples from uninjured skin were available as controls. TGF-alpha (n=74) was weakly expressed in normal skin and showed a marked increase in epidermal reactivity after a wound age of approximately 10 min. The maximum was between 30 and 60 min. TGF-beta1 (n=51) revealed constitutional expression only in connective tissue. An increase of immunohistochemical reaction was partially detected even in classical stab wounds (wound age of several minutes). The immunohistochemically detectable signal concerned--presumably due to an infiltration with TGF-beta-rich thrombocytes--large parts of the traumatized skin and also the epidermal layers (cellular and interstitial marking). TGF-beta1 peaked after a post-traumatic interval of 30-60 min. Both factors, especially TGF-beta1, remained detectable in elevated levels also in older wounds with an age of days to weeks (network in granulation tissue). TGF-alpha and TGF-beta1 can efficiently contribute to the estimation of vitality and wound age based on the evaluation of cytokine patterns. In particular, this applies to TGF-beta1 because of its easier evaluation and rapid up-regulation. Similar to other cytokines, the parallel investigation of control skin from the same individual must be recommended to eliminate variation in the basal expression.     

小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中p-JNK变化及其与时间的相关性

目的 探讨小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中损伤区磷酸化JNK（p-JNK）的变化及不同损伤时间p-JNK的变化规律。方法 应用免疫组织化学和Westernblot方法检测小鼠皮肤切创后各个时间段p-JNK的变化情况。结果 正常组织中有少量p-JNK阳性着色。伤后3～12h损伤区p-JNK阳性着色主要在中性粒细胞,1～5dp-JNK阳性着色主要为单核细胞和成纤维细胞,7～14dp-JNK阳性着色以成纤维细胞为主。阳性细胞率3h～1d逐渐增高,1d达到峰值,3～5d有所下降,7d阳性细胞率达第二峰值。10～14d逐渐降低。Westernblot显示各个时间段均有p-JNK的阳性条带,其中12h和3d为p-JNK含量的2个高峰。结论 小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中p-JNK在损伤区对诱导中性粒细胞、单核细胞和成纤维细胞的凋亡起非常重要的作用。同时P-JNK的规律性变化可用于损伤时间推断。     

小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中磷酸化 p38MAPK 表达及其与时间的相关性

目的探讨小鼠皮肤切创愈合过程中损伤区磷酸化p38MAPK(p-p38MAPK)的表达情况,以及不同损伤时间p-p38MAPK的变化规律。方法应用免疫组织化学和Westernblot的方法检测33例小鼠皮肤切创后各个时间段p-p38MAPK表达情况。结果正常组织中有少量的p-p38MAPK表达。伤后3～12h损伤区p-p38MAPK主要表达于中性粒细胞中,1～5dp-p38MAPK阳性表达主要为单核细胞和成纤维细胞。7～14dp-p38MAPK阳性表达主要以成纤维细胞为主。阳性细胞率3～12h逐渐升高,1d有所下降,3、5d阳性细胞率保持在高水平,7～14d阳性细胞率逐渐降低。Westernblot显示各个时间段均有p-p38MAPK的表达。其中12h和3d为2个p-p38MAPK含量的高峰。结论在小鼠切创愈合过程中p-p38MAPK在损伤区对诱导中性粒细胞、单核细胞和成纤维细胞的凋亡起重要的作用,同时p-p38MAPK的规律性表达可用于损伤时间的推断。     

Delayed pericardial tamponade following a stab wound to a branch of the right coronary artery

A 45-year-old man was attacked with a knife and suffered multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen. After surgical treatment and hospitalization for 9 days he was discharged in a stable condition. The following day he was found dead in his apartment. The autopsy revealed a pericardial tamponade caused by acute bleeding from an injured branch of the right coronary artery. This case shows that life-threatening late complications in patients with penetrating cardiac wounds may occur despite an initially uneventful course.     

A single fatal penetrating chest wound from shattered wind-blown glass

The great majority of penetrating wounds of the thorax result from firearms and bladed weapons. Penetrating wounds of the heart and of the great vessels still have a high immediate mortality. While penetrating chest wounds occasionally result from fragments of glass; most severe and fatal wounds from glass result from one's falling into or through architectural (plate) glass, sustaining wounds of abdomen or extremities, or both. A single, fatal penetrating chest wound resulting from a wind-blown fragment of glass is distinctly uncommon. The unique case of this type reported herein is that of a 12-year-old youth who was struck in his home in the left anterior chest by a single, sharp, slender fragment of glass blown from a window which shattered in a thunderstorm. This resulted in a rapidly fatal penetrating wound involving thoracic viscera. The forensic pathologist must thoroughly investigate and document such accidental deaths, modifying his/her autopsy procedure as necessary for these purposes and to avoid accidental injury at the autopsy table.     

Soft tissue radiography in determining contact and near-contact gunshot wounds.

Contact and near-contact gunshot wounds ordinarily show distinctive gunpowder patterns, muzzle imprints, or tearing of the skin. Microscopic and chemical examination have been used to estimate firing distances. A new method that utilizes soft tissue radiography is described. Nonjacketed lead bullets deposit a pattern of fragments and residues in tissue circumscribing contact and close gunshot wounds. Various patterns are presented to contrast the appearance of contact from distant gunshot wounds using various firearms and different types of bullets. This procedure may be used as an adjunct in the determination of contact and close gunshot wounds.     

Intra- and perioral shooting fatalities.

Determination of the manner of death in the case of intra- and perioral firearm wounds can be difficult especially if death scene investigation is unclear and inadequate. In this study, we investigated some characteristics of these firearm wounds which were autopsied in Istanbul. During the 5-year period from 1991 through 1995, there were 15 intra- and perioral firearm fatalities investigated. In all the cases, only one shot was fired into the mouth. They constituted 1% of all the firearm fatalities. The mean age of the victims was 27 years and males constituted 73.3% of the victims. Most of the wounds were caused by handguns. Homicides accounted for 53.3% of these deaths. Three of 15 cases could not be identified as intraoral firearm wounds by general practitioners during the scene investigations.     

Murder by stabbing.

A series of 100 deaths from homicidal stabbing has been analysed for the causation of the violence, the age and sex of both the victim and the assailant, the multiplicity of wounds, the site of single wounds, the incidence of defence wounds, association with other injuries and the weapons used.