Biology subjects

Stocchero, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Stocchero, M..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

PMI estimation on aqueous humour: human translation from a metabolomic animal model.

Translating findings from animal models to human applications remains a fundamental challenge across scientific research, with unique implications for post-mortem metabolomics. This study advances this goal by applying 1H NMR metabolomics to human aqueous humour, building on to a previously published sheep model for post-mortem interval estimation. We constructed a human dataset of 21 aqueous humor samples from 11 forensic autopsies, with post-mortem intervals (225- 1164 minutes) aligned with the animal models time range. Quantification of 46 metabolites revealed 43 shared between species, demonstrating qualitative similarities despite quantitative differences driven by species-specific factors, such as lactate and glutamate. Partial least squares regression models, which resulted highly accurate in the sheep model, showed increased prediction error in humans, underscoring translational complexities. Notably, taurine and hypoxanthine were identified as post-mortem interval-specific metabolites and, most of all, resulted unaffected by species, suggesting their relevance in the post-mortem interval maintained across species. This study is the first to attempt a translation of animal-derived 1H NMR metabolomic results to real-life human samples, addressing prior limitations through aligned timeframes and rigorous methodology. Animal models in post-mortem metabolomics offer controlled, reproducible data by minimizing real-life, providing a robust foundation for studying metabolomic modifications. However, direct translation to humans appears possible for a limited part of the metabolome, with key metabolites like taurine and hypoxanthine showing consistency. These findings endorse animal-derived metabolomics as a guide for human studies across diverse metabolomics investigations, promoting human studies on larger cohorts and more specific experimental designs.

systems biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Metabolomics investigation of post-mortem human pericardial fluid

IntroductionDue to its peculiar anatomy and physiology, the pericardial fluid is a biological matrix of particular interest in the forensic field. Despite this, the available literature has mainly focused on post-mortem biochemistry and forensic toxicology, while to the best of authors knowledge post-mortem metabolomics has never been applied. Similarly, estimation of the time since death or Post-Mortem Interval based on pericardial fluids has still rarely been attempted. ObjectivesWe applied a metabolomic approach based on 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy to ascertain the feasibility of monitoring post-mortem metabolite changes on human pericardial fluids with the aim of building a multivariate regression model for Post-Mortem Interval estimation. MethodsPericardial fluid samples were collected in 24 consecutive judicial autopsies, in a time frame ranging from 16 to 170 hours after death. The only exclusion criterion was the quantitative and/or qualitative alteration of the sample. Two different extraction protocols were applied for low molecular weight metabolites selection, namely ultrafiltration and liquid-liquid extraction. Our metabolomic approach was based on the use of 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and multivariate statistical data analysis. ResultsThe pericardial fluid samples treated with the two experimental protocols did not show significant differences in the distribution of the metabolites detected. A post-mortem interval estimation model based on 18 pericardial fluid samples was validated with an independent set of 6 samples, giving a prediction error of 33 - 34 hours depending on the experimental protocol used. By narrowing the window to post-mortem intervals below 100 hours, the prediction power of the model was significantly improved with an error of 13-15 hours depending on the extraction protocol. Choline, glycine, ethanolamine, and hypoxanthine were the most relevant metabolites in the prediction model. ConclusionThe present study, although preliminary, shows that PF samples collected from a real forensic scenario represent a biofluid of interest for post-mortem metabolomics, with particular regard to the estimation of the time since death.

systems biology↗

bioRxiv2022

PMI estimation through metabolomics and potassium analysis on animal vitreous humour

IntroductionThe estimation of post-mortem interval remains a major challenge in forensic science. Most of the proposed approaches lack the reliability required to meet the rigorous forensic standards. ObjectivesWe applied 1H NMR metabolomics to estimate PMI on ovine vitreous humour comparing the results with the actual scientific gold standard, namely vitreous potassium concentrations. MethodsVitreous humour samples were collected in a time frame ranging from 6 to 86 hours after death. Experiments were performed by using 1H NMR metabolomics and Ion Capillary Analysis. Data were submitted to multivariate statistical data analysis. ResultsA multivariate calibration model was built to estimate PMI based on 47 vitreous humour samples. The model was validated with an independent test set of 24 samples, obtaining a prediction error on the entire range of 6.9 h for PMI<24h, 7.4 h for PMI between 24 and 48h, and 10.3 h for PMI>48 h. Time-related modifications of the 1H NMR vitreous metabolomic profile could predict PMI better than potassium up to 48 hours after death, while a combination of the two is better than the single approach for higher PMIs estimation. ConclusionThe present study, although in a proof-of-concept animal model, shows that vitreous metabolomics can be a powerful tool to predict PMI providing a more accurate estimation compared to the widely studied approach based on vitreous potassium concentrations.

systems biology↗