HAPTOGLOBINS TYPING FROM BLOODSTAINS: AN ECLECTIC APPROACH

• NCJ Number: 142365
• Journal: Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal Volume: 23 Issue: 2 and 3 Dated: (June-September 1990) Pages: 65-74
• Author(s): M P Sachdeva; V K Arora; V Bhalla
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 10 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

A modification of the chloroform extraction method using Tris-HCI buffer was used in this study, wherein more than 600 dried bloodstains kept under various states of preservation were tested by nongradient vertical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Abstract

Various procedures such as sodium dodecyl sulphate gel electrophoresis requiring monospecific human Hp antiserum, an acid extraction technique and a chloroform extraction method, have been used to avoid the trailing of haemoglobin deterioration products, while determining the haptoglobin types from dried bloodstains. The first two methods, i.e., SDS gel electrophoresis and acid extraction technique, involve lengthy procedures and are uneconomical for routine analysis. For the current study haptoglobin phenotyping in bloodstains was routinely done by disc electrophoresis in vertical tubes of 5-percent acrylamide gel using the discontinuous buffer system as given by Davis and Ornstein. This technique was found to be less cumbersome and more economical. Following electrophoresis, the gels were stained for peroxidase activity with benzidine hydrochloride. For the initial extraction of blood concentrate from the stained material, sucrose extraction solvent as described by the Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory Biology Methods Manual was used. This was followed by the chloroform extraction procedure for the removal of excess haemoglobin as described by Stolorow and Wraxall. It was possible to determine correctly the haptoglobin phenotypes of dried bloodstains nearly 2 years old by this method. The results agree well with those of Stolorow and Wraxall. The superior results obtained may be attributed to the good combination of sucrose extraction buffer with the chloroform extraction procedure used for the phenotyping of haptoglobins in dried bloodstains. 1 table and 44 references