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Quantitative analysis of individual cell-free DNA concentration before and after penetrating trauma

International Journal of Legal Medicine volume 133, pages 385–393 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) elevations were remarked in the blood of trauma patients. Published increases refer to comparative values of a healthy control group, ignoring thereby inter- and intra-individual differences under normal conditions. The aim of this study was to quantify cfDNA in patients in the time course of a planned orthopedic surgery, which constitutes the advantage of obtaining individual pre- and post-trauma values for each patient. By this approach, a basis should be established for the potential future application of cfDNA as biomarker for the detection of mild injuries related to volunteer experiments in forensic biomechanics.

Methods

Plasma samples of ten patients obtaining knee or hip arthroplasty were analyzed quantitatively for cfDNA by real-time qPCR the day prior operation (Prior), immediately afterwards (Day0), and the day after the surgery (Day1).

Results

Prior values exhibited a broad range, indicating pronounced inter-individual differences in the basic level of cfDNA. After surgery, levels were significantly elevated on both days (Wilcoxon test p = 0.002). In nine patients, highest values were measured on Day0, whereby a fold change of 19 was remarked once. After Day0, values decreased, though they did not reach Prior values until Day1 in nine patients.

Conclusion

Endoprosthesis surgery represents a well-defined trauma scenario for the measurement of individual cfDNA elevations. The analysis of pre- to post-trauma alterations lay the groundwork for the application of cfDNA as biomarker for the detection of minor injuries in the field of forensic biomechanics.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the whole medical personnel that helped with the sample collection as well as the staff at the institute of clinical chemistry at the Campus Grosshadern for their technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Forensic Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Nußbaumstr 26, 80336, Munich, Germany

    Katrin Brodbeck, Stefanie Kern, Sylvia Schick, Michael Schwerer, Birgit Bayer, Katja Anslinger & Steffen Peldschus

  2. Dept. of Orthopaedics, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany

    Arnd Steinbrück

Authors
  1. Katrin Brodbeck
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  2. Stefanie Kern
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  3. Sylvia Schick
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  4. Arnd Steinbrück
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Correspondence to Katrin Brodbeck.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in the study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Appendix

Appendix

Table 2 Detailed study population characteristics and values of cell-free DNA
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Cite this article

Brodbeck, K., Kern, S., Schick, S. et al. Quantitative analysis of individual cell-free DNA concentration before and after penetrating trauma. Int J Legal Med 133, 385–393 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-018-1945-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-018-1945-y

Keywords

  • Cell-free DNA
  • Individual values
  • Trauma
  • Injury
  • Arthroplasty
  • Forensic biomechanics