Forensic Context

A review of human studies identified numerous miRNAs, including the mir-500b, as dysregulated in skin burns, wound healing, and scarring, with specific expression patterns validated in human tissue samples and cell lines using qRT-PCR, microarrays, and sequencing [Siu et al. DOI:10.1111/wrr.13100]. In non-human primates, serum miRNA expression changes following thoracic irradiation were used to develop predictive models for radiation dose, survival, and complications, with the mir-500b specifically identified as a feature in a pleural effusion prediction model for female animals at Day 6 post-irradiation [May et al. DOI:10.1038/s41598-022-16316-x]. Research in human monozygotic twins identified the mir-500b as differentially expressed and shared across two pairs of twins, suggesting its potential role in forensic discrimination between genetically identical individuals [Xiao et al. DOI:10.1016/j.fsigen.2019.05.003].