Junction-Associated Laminin-R/RPSA Immunoreactivity in Electrical Marks: A Morphological and Immunohistochemical Study
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
- 2Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy
- 3Department of Public Security, Directorate for the Forensic Science Police and the Cyber Security, Forensic Science Police Service, 00173 Rome, Italy
- 4Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Forensic Medicine, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy
Abstract
Cutaneous electrical marks may provide the principal localized morphological evidence of contact with an electrical conductor, but their histopathological interpretation remains challenging. We investigated the topographical relationship between dermo-epidermal detachment and junction-associated Laminin-Receptor/Ribosomal Protein SA (Laminin-R/RPSA) immunoreactivity in 25 full-thickness skin specimens from documented fatal electrocution cases. Detachment on hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was initially classified as present, absent, or equivocal, with discordant or equivocal assessments subsequently adjudicated by a supervising observer. After adjudication, detachment was present in 22 specimens (88%) and absent in three (12%). All 22 specimens with detachment lacked detectable junction-associated Laminin-R/RPSA immunoreactivity at the corresponding interface, whereas all three specimens without detachment retained the signal. All 25 preserved perilesional regions showed retained immunoreactivity. The paired absolute difference in the proportion showing loss of immunoreactivity between lesion and perilesional sites was 88.0 percentage points (95% CI, 55.5–97.5; exact McNemar p < 0.0001). These findings demonstrate a consistent spatial correspondence between dermo-epidermal separation and localized loss of detectable Laminin-R/RPSA immunoreactivity. Because the antibody targets RPSA rather than laminin-332, the results do not directly establish laminin-332 damage. Laminin-R/RPSA immunohistochemistry may complement conventional H&E examination, but controlled comparative studies are required to determine specificity and reproducibility.
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BibTeX
@article{caruso2026junctionassociated,
title = {{Junction-Associated Laminin-R/RPSA Immunoreactivity in Electrical Marks: A Morphological and Immunohistochemical Study}},
author = {Anna Claudia Caruso and Damiano Marchesini and Anna Maria Manta and Donato Morena and Matteo Scopetti and Martina Padovano and Roberta Bibbò and Luigi Cipolloni and Vittorio Fineschi},
journal = {International journal of molecular sciences},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/ijms27198872},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13665237},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Junction-Associated Laminin-R/RPSA Immunoreactivity in Electrical Marks: A Morphological and Immunohistochemical Study
AU - Anna Claudia Caruso
AU - Damiano Marchesini
AU - Anna Maria Manta
AU - Donato Morena
AU - Matteo Scopetti
AU - Martina Padovano
AU - Roberta Bibbò
AU - Luigi Cipolloni
AU - Vittorio Fineschi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - International journal of molecular sciences
DO - 10.3390/ijms27198872
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13665237
AB - Cutaneous electrical marks may provide the principal localized morphological evidence of contact with an electrical conductor, but their histopathological interpretation remains challenging. We investigated the topographical relationship between dermo-epidermal detachment and junction-associated Laminin-Receptor/Ribosomal Protein SA (Laminin-R/RPSA) immunoreactivity in 25 full-thickness skin specimens from documented fatal electrocution cases. Detachment on hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was initially classified as present, absent, or equivocal, with discordant or equivocal assessments subsequently adjudicated by a supervising observer. After adjudication, detachment was present in 22 specimens (88%) and absent in three (12%). All 22 specimens with detachment lacked detectable junction-associated Laminin-R/RPSA immunoreactivity at the corresponding interface, whereas all three specimens without detachment retained the signal. All 25 preserved perilesional regions showed retained immunoreactivity. The paired absolute difference in the proportion showing loss of immunoreactivity between lesion and perilesional sites was 88.0 percentage points (95% CI, 55.5–97.5; exact McNemar p < 0.0001). These findings demonstrate a consistent spatial correspondence between dermo-epidermal separation and localized loss of detectable Laminin-R/RPSA immunoreactivity. Because the antibody targets RPSA rather than laminin-332, the results do not directly establish laminin-332 damage. Laminin-R/RPSA immunohistochemistry may complement conventional H&E examination, but controlled comparative studies are required to determine specificity and reproducibility.
SN - 1422-0067
ER -