Lipidomes in cadaveric decomposition and determination of the postmortem interval: a systematic review

Abstract

Lipids are a large group of natural compounds, together with proteins and carbohydrates, and are essential for various processes in the body. After death, the organism’s tissues undergo a series of reactions that generate changes in some molecules, including lipids. This means that determining the lipid change profile can be beneficial in estimating the postmortem interval (PMI). These changes can also help determine burial sites and advance the localization of graves. The aim was to explore and analyze the decomposition process of corpses, focusing on the transformation of lipids, especially triglycerides (TGs) and fatty acids (FAs), and the possible application of these compounds as markers to estimate PMI and detect burial sites. A systematic review of 24 scientific articles from the last 23 years (2000–2023) was conducted. The results show that membrane glycerophospholipids (such as phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol, among others) are the most studied, and the most promising results are obtained, with decreasing patterns as PMI varies. Fatty acids (FAs) are also identified as potential biomarkers owing to the variations in their postmortem concentration. An increase in saturated fatty acids (SFAs), such as stearic acid and palmitic acid, and a decrease in unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), such as oleic acid and linoleic acid, were observed. The importance of intrinsic and extrinsic factors in decomposition is also observed. Finally, as for the burial sites, the presence of fatty acids and some sterols in burial areas of animal and human remains can be verified. In conclusion, glycerophospholipids and fatty acids are good markers for estimating PMI. It has been observed that there are still no equations for estimating the PMI that can be applied to forensic practice, as intrinsic and extrinsic factors are seen to play a vital role in the decomposition process. As for determining burial sites, the importance of soil and textile samples has been demonstrated, showing a direct relationship between saturated fatty acids, hydroxy fatty acids, and some sterols with decomposing remains.