Elucidation of the molecular mechanism of homeostasis for corpse examination and its application to the diagnosis of fatal hypothermia

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K09210
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Legal medicine
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: KAGAWA Shinichiro 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(医学系), 客員研究員 (70562213)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 梅原 敬弘 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(医学系), 助教 (60617421) ; 山本 琢磨 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(医学系), 講師 (50634458) ; 池松 和哉 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(医学系), 教授 (80332857)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-10-21 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 恒常性維持 / 震え熱産生 / 腸腰筋 / 分子マーカー / 凍死

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Fatal hypothermia is considered difficult to diagnose in forensic practice. In this study, to identify novel molecular markers that inform the diagnosis of fatal hypothermia, we focused on the iliopsoas muscle, which plays a role in cold-induced thermogenesis. We established rat models of mild, moderate, and severe hypothermia and performed body temperature-dependent gene expression analysis using next-generation sequencing. The expression of some genes was induced only by severe hypothermia. These genes were involved in muscle regeneration, tissue repair, and lipid metabolism. The results of this study indicate that heat production to maintain body temperature in a process leading to fatal hypothermia might be performed by the iliopsoas muscle and that these genes might serve as suggestive markers for diagnosing fatal hypothermia.

Free Research Field

法医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究において、生体の恒常性維持の分子メカニズムの一端を解明できたことは、法医学領域にとどまらず、低代謝療法の治療戦略開発など他領域への波及効果を及ぼすことが期待される。
凍死の剖検診断において、恒常性維持の分子メカニズムを解明するための基礎的研究結果を応用し、同定された多臓器での複数の診断マーカーを、従来行われて来た外表所見・内景所見と組み合わせることで、凍死の確定診断の困難さは飛躍的に改善されることが期待される。