DNA甲基化的功能特点及法医学应用的研究进展

The research progress of DNA methylation and application in the area of forensic medicine

DNA甲基化(DNA methylation)是表观遗传修饰的核心组成部分,在人类发育、衰老、疾病以及肿瘤发生等过程中发挥重要的生物学功能。作为经典遗传标记的有效补充,DNA甲基化具有遗传信息丰富、稳定性高、特异性强且可遗传等特点,可广泛应用于法医学诸多领域研究和实践中,如亲权鉴定、个体识别、年龄推断、同卵双生子鉴别、组织体液斑分析、不明原因猝死分析、职业暴露或环境污染损伤的鉴定和分析案件发生时间等。本文就DNA甲基化的生物学功能、特点及其在法医学中的应用进行综述,旨在为DNA甲基化研究成果在法医学中的应用提供新的思路。

DNA methylation was the core component of epigenetic modification,which played an crucial biological function in the process of human development,aging,disease,and tumorigenesis.As an effective supplement to classic genetic markers,DNA methylation had the characteristics of rich genetic information,high stability,strong specificity,and heritability,and was widely used in forensic issues,such as paternity identification,individual identification,age inference,identification of identical twins,tissue/body fluid spot analysis,unexpected sudden death analysis,identification and analysis of occupational exposure or environmental pollution damage,and estimation time of the case occurrence,etc.This article reviewed the biological functions and characteristics of DNA methylation and its application in forensic medicine,in order to provide the application of DNA methylation research achievements into forensic medicine.