Evaluation of Apoptotic Caspase-3 Immunopositivity in Human Model of Asphyxial Death

TL;DR

This study shows that caspase-3 can help determine if a ligature mark in hanging occurred while the person was still alive.

Contribution

The study demonstrates that caspase-3 is a reliable marker for supravitality in ligature marks from hanging.

Findings

Caspase-3 levels in compressed skin were significantly higher than in healthy skin.

Caspase-3 activation requires ATP and only occurs if the victim was alive during pressure application.

Caspase-3 is a reliable indicator of premortem hanging in ligature marks.

Abstract

The pathological mechanisms underlying the ligature mark in hanging involve the skin layers and an ischemic mechanism. The apoptotic process develops whenever ischemic mechanisms affect the dermal and epidermal layers. Effector caspase-3 appears to play a crucial role in both acute and chronic pressure-induced skin ischemia. The aim of this study is to identify the role of caspase-3 as a marker of supravitality in the diagnosis of premortem hanging. Skin samples from ligature marks in hanging cases were collected to investigate this apoptotic process. The caspase-3 levels in compressed skin were significantly higher compared to those found in healthy skin (p < 0.005). The apoptotic process in ischemic epidermal cells begins with stable mechanical stress, as seen in the hanging model. Caspase-3 expression seems to vary from minutes after the initial stress input. Caspase-3 activation is an ATP-dependent process and can only occur if the victim was alive before the pressure was applied. Caspase-3 is a reliable marker of supravitality in ligature marks in premortem hanging cases.

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