Expression of related genes at apoptotic pathway in wound age estimation

Wound age estimation becomes necessary for the explanation of relationship between the wounds and the cause of death. In the death cases with multipl trauma, determination of the first strike and differentiation of pre and postmortem traumatic changes are very important. The aim of this thesis is to determine the levels of apoptosis, caspase 3, 8, 9, Bax, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL mRNA and protein and to show the availability of this results for the wound age estimation in the wound tissues that have different mechanisms and at different healing stages. The results of this study indicate that, at the third day in the wound formed by scalpel, Bax, caspase 3 and 9 mRNA expression levels were found to be significantly high, but Bcl-2 mRNA expression levels were not. At the seventh day in the wound formed by kautery, Bax and caspase 9 mRNA expression levels were found to be significantly high, but Bcl-2 levels decreased. At the same day, Bax and caspase 9 protein levels were significantly high. Our results indicate that, the physicians would take samples from wounds in autopsy for the analysis of genes at the apoptotic pathway. As a consequence of this process, physicians could make a correct decision for wound age estimation and pre and postmortem differentiation of traumatic changes.