Forensic Context

A review of human studies identified 197 miRNAs associated with wound healing, burn wound healing, and scarring, with the miR-508-5p being upregulated 6 hours post-burn in heat-shocked skin epidermal stem cells compared to controls [Siu et al. DOI:10.1111/wrr.13100]. A study in humans identified the miR-508-5p as an absolute specific marker for semen, demonstrating high specificity in forensic body fluid identification [Liu et al. DOI: 10.3390/genes13091530]. In a separate investigation of alcohol use disorder, the miR-508-5p was confirmed as differentially expressed in the amygdala of AUD subjects using an in vitro cellular model [Lim et al. DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01635-w].