Costal cartilage ensures low degradation of DNA needed for genetic identification of human remains retrieved at different decomposition stages and different postmortem intervals

Abstract

Abstract Introduction The study aimed to evaluate if costal cartilage is a good source of DNA for genetic individual identification tests performed in forensic autopsies. Materials and Methods The study included samples of costal cartilage collected from 80 cadavers retrieved from different environments: indoors (flat/hospital), outdoors (primarily in the forest), a coal mine, a fire site, uninhabited buildings, a basement, bodies of fresh water, exhumation sites, and unknown locations. After isolation of DNA chondrocytes, T. Large autosomal chromosome (214 bp), T. Small autosomal chromosome (80 bp), and the Y chromosome (75 bp; for male cadavers), sequences were amplified using real-time PCR. Additionally, 23 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci and 16 Y chromosome STR loci were amplified using multiplex PCR. Forensic DNA typing was done using capillary electrophoresis and all results were analyzed. Results There was no statistically significant difference in DNA concentration after T. Large, T. Small autosomal chromosome and the Y chromosome amplification between samples collected from cadavers retrieved from different environments. The DNA degradation index was the same regardless of the postmortem interval. The results show that it is possible to generate a full genetic profile from costal cartilage samples collected from cadavers retrieved from different environments and at different times elapsed after death. Conclusions The results suggest that costal cartilage can be routinely collected during forensic autopsies, especially from cadavers at the advanced decomposition stage.