Application of victims' fingernails in Forensic DNA analysis.

DNA extracted from the victims’ fingernails may assist in the identification of the aggressor. Fingernails were collected from 8 victims, and were subjected to DNA extraction using the Kit « Tissue and Hair Extraction Kit (Promega) ». All samples were typed for 15 autosomal short tandem repeats and for amelogenin using the Kit « Powerplex TM16 system (Promega) » and the ABI Prism 310 DNA sequencer. The profiles obtained were compared with those achieved by similar typing of victims’ and suspects’ blood. In two Forensic investigations, mixed genotypes were detected in DNA extracted from the nails: Alleles originating from the victim were coamplified with other alleles that matched the suspect’s genotypic profile. This indicated that victims’ fingernails contained biological material (blood, epithelial cells) originating from the suspect. Our results confirmed the usefulness of the nails as a specimen for forensic identification of the aggressor.

Association between the severity of angiographic coronary artery disease and paraoxonase-1 promoter gene polymorphism T[-107] C in Iranian population

The oxidation of low-density lipoproteins and cell membrane lipids is believed to play an integral role in the development of fatty streak lesions, an initial step in coronary artery disease [CAD]. Paraoxonase-1 [PON1] is an enzyme associated with the high-density lipoprotein [HDL] particle. PON1 protects LDL from oxidative modification by hydrolyzing lipid peroxides, suggestive of a role for PON1 in the development of CAD. The present study tested the hypothesis that Paraoxonase-1 promoter polymorphism T[-107]C could be a risk factor for severity of CAD in Iranian population. Paraoxonase-1 promoter genotypes were determined in 300 consecutive subjects [> 40 years old] who underwent coronary angiography [150 subjects with >50% stenosis served as cases [CAD+] and 150 subjects with < 20% stenosis served as controls [CAD-]]. PON1 promoter genotypes were determined by PCR and BSTU1 restriction enzyme digestion. CAD+ Subjects did not show any significant differences in the distribution of PON1 promoter genotypes as compared to CAD- Subjects [P = 0.075]. However the analysis of PON1 promoter genotypes distribution showed a higher percentage of [-107] TT among CAD+ compared with CAD- [P = 0.027]. After controlling for other risk factors, the T[- 107]C polymorphism had interaction with age [P = 0.012], but did not show any interaction with other risk factors such as BMI, gender, smoking, diabetes, level of HDL-C, LDL-C, triglyceride and Total cholesterol. These data suggest that the TT genotype may represent a genetic risk factor for Coronary artery disease in Iranian population