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01-07-2011 | Technical Note

Detection and quantification of the age-related sjTREC decline in human peripheral blood

Authors: Xueling Ou, Hu Zhao, Hongyu Sun, Zhengfei Yang, Bailu Xie, Yanwei Shi, Xinyao Wu

Published in: International Journal of Legal Medicine | Issue 4/2011

Abstract

The decline of signal joint T-cell receptor rearrangement excision circles (sjTRECs) in human peripheral blood has been demonstrated to be age-related, which can be a potential marker for individual age determination. However, little is known about the quantitative relationship between the levels of sjTREC and age. The aim of the present study was to investigate the levels of sjTREC in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) among different age groups in Chinese population, so as to clarify whether it could serve as a suitable marker for biological age estimation in forensic practice. sjTREC levels were measured by real-time quantitative PCR analysis in peripheral blood samples from individuals of known age (n = 248). The quantification results showed that sjTREC declined in human PBLs in an age-dependent manner (r = −0.8177, P < 0.01). The formula for age estimation based on peripheral sjTREC decline was Y = −24.921x − 39.932 ± 10.47 (Y age, year; X log sjTREC/TBP; 10.47: standard error). Furthermore, there was no difference between males and females with regard to sjTREC levels. These results suggest that assessment of sjTREC in PBLs might be a valuable additional tool in age determination, especially in cases where traditional morphologic information is absent or inefficient in forensic practice.

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Title: Detection and quantification of the age-related sjTREC decline in human peripheral blood
Authors: Xueling Ou
Hu Zhao
Hongyu Sun
Zhengfei Yang
Bailu Xie
Yanwei Shi
Xinyao Wu
Publication date: 01-07-2011
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: International Journal of Legal Medicine / Issue 4/2011
Print ISSN: 0937-9827
Electronic ISSN: 1437-1596
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-010-0528-3

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Detection and quantification of the age-related sjTREC decline in human peripheral blood

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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