Abstract
To evaluate the significance of immunohistochemical staining of ubiquitin (heat shock protein) in the midbrain for the medico-legal diagnosis of fatal asphyxiation and drowning, we investigated forensic autopsy cases of fatal mechanical asphyxia (n = 18), manual/ligature strangulation (n = 9), hanging (n = 4), aspiration/choking (n = 5) and drowning (n = 16). These were compared to control groups (n = 30) consisting of fatalities from brainstem injury (n = 12) and acute myocardial infarction (n = 18). Ubiquitin was clearly demonstrated in the nuclei of pigmented substantia nigra neurons, showing two intranuclear staining patterns: a type of inclusion (possibly Marinesco bodies) and a diffuse staining. The diffuse staining was significantly more frequently observed in cases of drowning. The percentage of total ubiquitin positive neurons was frequently higher in strangulation (5.1-28.4%, mean 17.0%), aspiration/choking (5.3-32.0%, mean 17.6%) and drowning (7.0-34.1%, mean 19.8%), but relatively low in hanging (5.1-12.7%, mean 8.6%), brainstem injury (0-10.4%, mean 5.0%) and acute myocardial infarction (1.5-16.9%, mean 8.3%). These observations suggest that intranuclear ubiquitin immunoreactivity of the pigmented substantia nigra neurons in the midbrain was induced by a fatal severe stress on the central nervous system in asphyxiation and drowning.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 6-11 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | International Journal of Legal Medicine |
| Volume | 115 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2001 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Asphyxiation
- Drowning
- Immunohistochemistry
- Pigmented substantia nigra neuron
- Ubiquitin
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine (miscellaneous)
- Pathology and Forensic Medicine
- Law
Cite this
Intranuclear ubiquitin immunoreactivity of the pigmented neurons of the substantia nigra in fatal acute mechanical asphyxiation and drowning. / Quan, L.; Zhu, B. L.; Ishida, K.; Oritani, S.; Taniguchi, M.; Fujita, Masaki Q; Maeda, H.
In: International Journal of Legal Medicine, Vol. 115, No. 1, 2001, p. 6-11.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Intranuclear ubiquitin immunoreactivity of the pigmented neurons of the substantia nigra in fatal acute mechanical asphyxiation and drowning
AU - Quan, L.
AU - Zhu, B. L.
AU - Ishida, K.
AU - Oritani, S.
AU - Taniguchi, M.
AU - Fujita, Masaki Q
AU - Maeda, H.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - To evaluate the significance of immunohistochemical staining of ubiquitin (heat shock protein) in the midbrain for the medico-legal diagnosis of fatal asphyxiation and drowning, we investigated forensic autopsy cases of fatal mechanical asphyxia (n = 18), manual/ligature strangulation (n = 9), hanging (n = 4), aspiration/choking (n = 5) and drowning (n = 16). These were compared to control groups (n = 30) consisting of fatalities from brainstem injury (n = 12) and acute myocardial infarction (n = 18). Ubiquitin was clearly demonstrated in the nuclei of pigmented substantia nigra neurons, showing two intranuclear staining patterns: a type of inclusion (possibly Marinesco bodies) and a diffuse staining. The diffuse staining was significantly more frequently observed in cases of drowning. The percentage of total ubiquitin positive neurons was frequently higher in strangulation (5.1-28.4%, mean 17.0%), aspiration/choking (5.3-32.0%, mean 17.6%) and drowning (7.0-34.1%, mean 19.8%), but relatively low in hanging (5.1-12.7%, mean 8.6%), brainstem injury (0-10.4%, mean 5.0%) and acute myocardial infarction (1.5-16.9%, mean 8.3%). These observations suggest that intranuclear ubiquitin immunoreactivity of the pigmented substantia nigra neurons in the midbrain was induced by a fatal severe stress on the central nervous system in asphyxiation and drowning.
AB - To evaluate the significance of immunohistochemical staining of ubiquitin (heat shock protein) in the midbrain for the medico-legal diagnosis of fatal asphyxiation and drowning, we investigated forensic autopsy cases of fatal mechanical asphyxia (n = 18), manual/ligature strangulation (n = 9), hanging (n = 4), aspiration/choking (n = 5) and drowning (n = 16). These were compared to control groups (n = 30) consisting of fatalities from brainstem injury (n = 12) and acute myocardial infarction (n = 18). Ubiquitin was clearly demonstrated in the nuclei of pigmented substantia nigra neurons, showing two intranuclear staining patterns: a type of inclusion (possibly Marinesco bodies) and a diffuse staining. The diffuse staining was significantly more frequently observed in cases of drowning. The percentage of total ubiquitin positive neurons was frequently higher in strangulation (5.1-28.4%, mean 17.0%), aspiration/choking (5.3-32.0%, mean 17.6%) and drowning (7.0-34.1%, mean 19.8%), but relatively low in hanging (5.1-12.7%, mean 8.6%), brainstem injury (0-10.4%, mean 5.0%) and acute myocardial infarction (1.5-16.9%, mean 8.3%). These observations suggest that intranuclear ubiquitin immunoreactivity of the pigmented substantia nigra neurons in the midbrain was induced by a fatal severe stress on the central nervous system in asphyxiation and drowning.
KW - Asphyxiation
KW - Drowning
KW - Immunohistochemistry
KW - Pigmented substantia nigra neuron
KW - Ubiquitin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034797433&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0034797433&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s004140000200
DO - 10.1007/s004140000200
M3 - Article
VL - 115
SP - 6
EP - 11
JO - International Journal of Legal Medicine
JF - International Journal of Legal Medicine
SN - 0937-9827
IS - 1
ER -