Stability and Expression Levels of miR-130b, miR-138 and miR-155 for Age and Gender Prediction in Igbo and Yoruba Populations of Nigeria
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Abstract
Age estimation remains a major challenge in forensic investigations, particularly when biological evidence lacks contextual information. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as promising molecular markers due to their tissue specificity and relative stability. This study investigated the stability and expression patterns of selected skin-specific miRNAs (miR-130b, miR-138 and miR-155) for age and gender prediction among individuals from Igbo and Yoruba ethnic groups in Nigeria. Skin swab samples were collected from fifty healthy adult volunteers (25 Igbo and 25 Yoruba), aged 20–40 years. Total RNA was extracted using the TRIzol® protocol, followed by spectrophotometric assessment of RNA purity and concentration. Complementary DNA synthesis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were performed using LunaScript RT Supermix and Luna Universal qPCR Master Mix, respectively. GAPDH and ACTB were used as reference genes. Statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS (version 26), including descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, analysis of variance and linear regression. RNA purity values were generally within acceptable limits across all samples. miR-130b showed stable expression across age groups, genders and ethnicities, whereas miR-138 and miR-155 exhibited variable expression patterns. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant association between miR-130b expression and age in Yoruba females (p<0.05). Additionally, miR-155 and miR-138 showed significant associations with age across all genders (p<0.05). The findings suggest that miR-130b is a stable skin biomarker suitable for forensic identification of skin swab samples, while miR-155 and miR-138 demonstrate potential for age and gender prediction. Further studies with larger population sizes are recommended to validate these biomarkers for forensic applications.
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