Post-mortem Interval and Its Connection with the RNA Degradation from the Dental Pulp in Submerged Teeth

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate the applicability of using the method of quantifying the RNA degradation extracted from dental pulps to estimate the post mortem interval, by simulating drowning conditions with teeth submerged in fresh water and exposed to different time intervals. Material and methods: The sample consisted of 80 human teeth (third molars), which were divided into eight groups and submitted to the aquatic environment, for pre-established periods of three days, and 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks. After the stipulated time and the recovery of the teeth, the removal of the dental pulp, extraction of the RNA molecule and analysis of the degradation of the molecule were carried out. Results: After the analysis, the highest number of RNA molecule (RIN) found was 6,50 and the results showed very degraded molecules, highlighting the fact that the samples were submitted to the environment, simulating real day-to-day conditions, which may have been a primary factor to justify the results found in this work. Conclusion: RNA degradation quantification method is not applicable, since it was not possible to establish a connection between the degradation of the RNA molecule and the estimation of the post mortem interval.