Forensic Context

A study in humans demonstrated a significant up-regulation of the miR-301a-3p in both plasma (2.3-fold increase) and hippocampal tissue (3.2-fold increase) from a single case of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) compared to forensic autopsy controls, supporting its potential as a biomarker for drug-resistant epilepsy and SUDEP risk [De Matteis et al. DOI:10.1016/J.Legalmed.2017.12.003]. In a separate human study on coronary artery disease, the miR-301a-3p was found to be downregulated in the whole blood of patients with recurrent myocardial infarction compared to stable patients, and it was associated with venous thromboembolism and inhibition of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) [Onuoha et al. DOI:10.1111/cts.13307].