Multi-omics analysis on the relationship between carboxyhemoglobin and mitochondrial mutations in carbon monoxide poisoning deaths

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K24197
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0908:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: ISOBE YU 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 特任助教(常勤) (30848627)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 一酸化炭素中毒死 / 血中CO-Hb濃度 / ミトコンドリア遺伝子変異

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The number of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning deaths is around 2,000 per year. It accounts for nearly half of all poisoning deaths in Japan. In forensic autopsy cases, there are several cases in which CO poisoning appears to be the cause of death. There are several cases in which the carboxyhemoglobin concentration (CO-Hb) in the blood was not lethally high, but death still occurred. In this study, the relationship between CO-Hb concentration and mitochondrial mutations in carbon monoxide poisoning deaths was investigated. In cases of carbon monoxide poisoning deaths, there were no valid factors that correlated with various organ and laboratory findings. In one case, mitochondrial mutations were detected. It was suggested that genomic mutations may have caused CO induced mitochondrial dysfunction.

Free Research Field

法医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ゲノム検査を詳細に検討することによって、より詳細な死因究明および病態の理解が進み、将来的に救命の一助となることが示唆された。今後、各種検査記録のデータやゲノム検査を通じて得られた結果を今後蓄積することで、相関のある有効な因子をみつけられ、より正確な死因究明が可能となり、詳細な病態についての知見を臨床に還元することで死亡数の減少に繋がることが考えられた。さらに本研究を通して得られた知見は、火災などの致死的一酸化炭素中毒死事例に限らず、発電機などの内燃機関やガス溶接・ガス溶断などの作業環境などその他の血中一酸化炭素ヘモグロビン濃度が上昇し得る状況においても応用が可能であると考えられる。