Hypoxia inducible factor 1-α (HIF-1α) mRNA expression as a potential molecular biomarker to determine the wound age

BACKGROUND: Determining the age of wounds is a challenge in forensic pathology but can contribute to crime scene reconstruction and lead to the arrest of suspects. This study to analyze the HIF-1α mRNA expression based on wound age and this is a basic advantage in determining wound age using the HIF-1α biomarker accurately.METHODS: Experimental with post-test and control group design. Thirty-six mice were divided into nine groups randomly with the same number (N.=4). The subjects consisted of the control group which is a group of Balb/c mice that did not have an incision made on the skin (0 minutes) (Group I). The other group is treatment groups, where the treatment groups were 30 minutes (Group II); 1 hour (Group III); 6 hours (Group IV); 12 hours (Group V); 1 day (Group VI); 3 days (Group VII); 7 days (VIII) and 14 days (Group IX) after incised wounds. A 2 cm skin incision of Balb/c mice was made on the back with a width of 0.2 cm and a depth of 0.5 cm at day 0. The HIF-1α mRNA expression was measured using a real-time PCR technique.RESULTS: The mean HIF-1α mRNA expression in Group I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX were 5187 foldchange (fc), 8551 fc, 14,322 fc, 13,644 fc, 10,936 fc, 8557 fc, 7534 fc, 6682 fc and 5297 fc, respectively. In the dynamics of changes in the HIF-1α mRNA expression based on the wound age, it showed a significant increase in 30 minutes after skin incision (P<0.001). The HIF-1α mRNA expression was gradually decreased until 7 days after skin incision and no significant decrease in the HIF-1α mRNA expression at 14 days compared to 7 days after skin incision (P>0.001).CONCLUSIONS: The peak increase in HIF-1α mRNA expression occurred at 1 hour of wound age and a gradual decrease in HIF-1α mRNA expression occurred at 12 hours of wound age and returned to normal values at 14 days of wound age in Balb/c mice.