Evaluation of Vitality in the Experimental Hanging Model of Rats by Using Immunohistochemical IL-1ß Antibody Staining.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Hanging is the most common suicide method in the world, and the discrimination of antemortem-postmortem hanging must be done at autopsy. The aim of this experimental study was to examine the immunohistochemical expression of IL-1ß antibody at the hanging mark skin samples of rats to discriminate antemortem and postmortem hangings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 20 Wistar albino rats were used for this study. The groups were as follows A-1, antemortem control group; A-2, antemortem second-hour hanging mark skin samples; A-3, antemortem 24th-hour hanging mark skin samples; A-4, antemortem 72nd-hour hanging mark skin samples; B-1, postmortem control group; and B-2, postmortem second-hour hanging mark skin samples. Interleukin-1ß immunostaining was performed to all tissue samples. RESULTS: For epidermal cells, group A-1 samples did not show IL-1ß immunostaining, group A-2 samples were severely immunostained, and groups A-3 and A-4 samples' staining were slightly decreased. There was no IL-1ß antibody staining in groups B-1 and B-2 samples. For adnexal cells, groups A-1 and B-1 samples did not show IL-1ß immunostaining, staining of group A-2 samples was mild to severe, and groups A-3 and A-4 samples' staining were slightly decreased. Half of the group B-2 samples did not show IL-1ß immunostaining. For subepidermal cells, most of the samples of groups A-1 and B-1 showed slight immunostaining, groups A-2 and B-2 samples' staining were mild to severe, and there were slight immunostaining in groups A-3 and A-4 samples. The majority of vascular structure cells did not show IL-1ß immunostaining. CONCLUSION: Interleukin-1ß immunostaining of epidermal cells can discriminate antemortem-postmortem hangings, but vascular structure cells and subepidermal cells cannot discriminate vital hangings.