Forensic nursing: evaluation of S100 antibody immunostaining in nervous tissue to estimate the post mortem interval

• Grant number: 24/17067-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2025
• End date: November 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nursing
• Principal Investigator: Andréa Cristina de Moraes Malinverni
• Grantee: Anna Luísa de Loreto Patti
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Death is frequent in society, but many times we avoid this subject, therefore, it can be considered a taboo. In order to understand the physiological and pathological processes that are involved in the post-mortem period, this project uses the immunohistochemistry technique and hematoxylin-eosin to analyze the S100 antibody immunostaining and evaluation of cellular degradation in the central nervous system, respectively. In addition, this is a study that aims to bring nursing closer to the forensic and scientific areas, enabling their visibility. For this purpose, samples from up to 3 patients, over 18 years of age, who died at Hospital São Paulo, will be used, collected through a minimally invasive procedure (ultrasound-guided biopsy). These samples will be subjected to immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin and eosin staining techniques, in order to evaluate S100 antibody immunostaining, in addition to the cellular morphology of the brain tissue at different post-mortem intervals (1 to 6, 24, 48, 72 and 120 hours post-mortem). With this, it is expected to correlate the pattern of cellular degradation, as well as the decrease in the intensity of S100 immunostaining with a more accurate estimate of the post-mortem interval.