Diagnostic implications of urinary liver-type fatty acid-binding protein and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine in forensic autopsy cases

Background/aimLiver-type fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) is a clinical biomarker of the progress of kidney disease. 8-Hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) is known as a biomarker of peroxidative DNA damage. We investigated both urinary L-FABP and 8-OHdG in forensic autopsy cases as biomarkers to elucidate the metabolic changes in survival periods after insults.MethodsIn 196 urinary samples from forensic autopsy cases, we measured L-FABP and 8-OHdG by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and creatinine by enzymatic assay. Urinary L-FABP/Cr and 8-OHdG/Cr were obtained.ResultsNo significant correlation was observed between urinary L-FABP/Cr or 8-OHdG/Cr, and gender, age, or postmortem interval. Regarding urinary L-FABP/Cr or 8-OHdG/Cr, there were no significant differences among the causes of death. In the survival/agony period, urinary L-FABP/Cr under the cut-off value 31.3 might show that the survival/agony period was within 1 h. Under the cut-off value of urinary 8-OHdG/Cr, 17.8, might indicate that it is within 24 h.ConclusionUrinary L-FABP/Cr may rise within a relatively short survival/agony period, and urinary 8-OHdG/Cr may increase when the damage continues longer. Measuring the urinary L-FABP/Cr and 8-OHdG/Cr might be useful in elucidating the survival/agony period.