Validity of plasma remnant lipoproteins as surrogate markers of antemortem level in cases of sudden coronary death.

Hitherto triglycerides (TG) and TG-rich lipoproteins were been of limited value as surrogates for antemortem levels. We measured TG levels in postmortem plasma from sudden coronary death cases (SCD, n=91) by using two TG assays, Dry Chem TG (free glycerol was added) and the Determiner L-TG (without added free glycerol) that measured net TG. TG levels were markedly higher by the Dry Chem TG (y) vs. Determiner L-TG (x), y = 1.03x + 229 mg/dl. HPLC showed large amounts of free glycerol in postmortem plasma and in TG-rich lipoprotein remnants (RLP). These results were verified in a rabbit model of SCD. Further, RLP from SCD were found to be biophysically similar to those from living patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). In conclusion, postmortem plasma sampled up to 12 h after death is appropriate for measuring lipid and lipoproteins, TG and RLP-TG as surrogates for antemortem levels when a TG assay without added free glycerol is used.

Haploid allele mapping of Y-chromosome minisatellite, MSY1 (DYF155S1), to a Japanese population.

The present study analyses the human Y-chromosome minisatellite locus, MSY1 (DYF155S1), in 205 Japanese males of 191 pedigrees using the minisatellite variant repeat (MVR) mapping system. The internal haploid structures of the detected alleles considerably varied and consisted of three major repeat units: types 2, 3 and 4. A comparison of the haploid profiles of the MVR codes identified 185 distinct alleles, of which only five were shared. We did not detect a type 1 repeat unit, and variations were frequent at the 5' end of the minisatellite locus. Within an analysis of 24 paternally linked DNA samples donated by ten families, no mutational events were identified even over two generation gaps. Furthermore, we applied this mapping system to a paternity test in which the alleged father was missing.