Morphological analysis of astrocytes in the hippocampus in mechanical asphyxiation

Li, Dong-Ri; Ishikawa, Takaki; Quan, Li; Zhao, Dong; Michiue, Tomomi; Zhu, Bao-Li; Wang, Hui Jun; Maeda, Hitoshi

doi:10.1016/j.legalmed.2009.11.005

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Volume 12, Issue 2 , Pages 63-67, March 2010

Morphological analysis of astrocytes in the hippocampus in mechanical asphyxiation

Dong-Ri Li
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka 545-8558, Japan
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, No. 1838, Guangzhau S10515, Guangdong Province, PR China
- Corresponding author. Present address: Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka 545-8558, Japan Tel.: +81 6 6645 3767; fax: +81 6 6634 3871.
Takaki Ishikawa
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka 545-8558, Japan
Li Quan
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka 545-8558, Japan
Dong Zhao
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka 545-8558, Japan
Tomomi Michiue
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka 545-8558, Japan
Bao-Li Zhu
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka 545-8558, Japan
- Department of Forensic Pathology, China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine, No. 92, Beier Road, Heping District, Shenyong 11001, Liaoming Province, PR China
Hui Jun Wang
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, No. 1838, Guangzhau S10515, Guangdong Province, PR China
Hitoshi Maeda
- Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka 545-8558, Japan

Received 28 September 2009; received in revised form 12 November 2009; accepted 15 November 2009. published online 08 February 2010.

Abstract

The present study investigated the morphology of astrocytes in the hippocampus and serum S100B levels in cases of mechanical asphyxia due to neck compression (n=23: atypical hanging, n=7; ligature/manual strangulation, n=16) with regard to the classical autopsy findings, compared with those of other types of asphyxiation (n=9) and acute myocardial infarction/ischemia (AMI, n=20). The decrease in intact astrocyte number, as shown by S100 and GFAP-immunostaining, was larger for asphyxiation due to neck compression compared with that for other asphyxiation and AMI, showing a correlation with the increase in the serum S100B levels. The decrease in intact astrocyte number and increase in serum S100B were closely related to the severity of conjunctival petechial hemorrhage and fracture(s) of the hyoid bone and/or thyroid cartilage in asphyxia due to neck compression. These findings suggest that hippocampal astrocyte injury is caused by cerebral hypoxia accompanied by congestion, especially in mechanical asphyxia due to neck compression.