Ocular swabs on exhumed bodies: An alternative to the collection of "classical" tissue samples in forensic genetics

V Agostini; P Bailo; E Chiti; P Linarello; G Gentile; P Primignani; M Giriodi; A Piccinini

doi:10.1016/j.fsigen.2019.102206

Ocular swabs on exhumed bodies: An alternative to the collection of "classical" tissue samples in forensic genetics

Forensic Sci Int Genet. 2020 Jan:44:102206. doi: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2019.102206. Epub 2019 Nov 16.

Authors

V Agostini¹, P Bailo², E Chiti¹, P Linarello³, G Gentile⁴, P Primignani², M Giriodi⁴, A Piccinini⁵

Affiliations

¹ NGB Genetics srl Laboratory, Via R. Grieco, 5/1A, 40133 Bologna, Italy.
² Forensic Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli, 37, 20133 Milan, Italy.
³ Forensic Unit, Eurofins Genoma Group Laboratory, via E. Cialdini, 16, 20161 Milano, Italy.
⁴ Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli, 37, 20133 Milan, Italy.
⁵ Forensic Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via L. Mangiagalli, 37, 20133 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: andrea.piccinini@unimi.it.

PMID: 31765878
DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2019.102206

Abstract

We present the results obtained on DNA extracted from ocular (scleral/corneal) swabs collected from exhumed bodies at different times of burial. To our knowledge, there are no publications in the scientific forensic literature dealing with sclera/cornea as a source of DNA in the forensic laboratory. The obtained results demonstrate that cornea/sclera swabbing might be a promising alternative to the sampling of other tissues for DNA extraction even in highly putrefied bodies.

Keywords: DNA extraction; Exhumation; Eye swabs; Forensic genetics; STR analysis.

MeSH terms

Body Remains
Cornea / chemistry*
DNA / isolation & purification*
DNA Fingerprinting
Exhumation*
Forensic Genetics / methods
Humans
Microsatellite Repeats
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Sclera / chemistry*
Specimen Handling / methods*

Substances

DNA