The time-related expression of p53 protein in human skin wounds--a quantitative immunohistochemical analysis.

The time-dependent expression of p53 protein during wound healing has been investigated by immunochemistry in fibroblastic cells of skin wounds ranging between a few minutes and 11 weeks old. When compared to uninjured skin, an increased expression of p53 was found earliest in a wound with a postinfliction interval of 3 days. The ratio (r) of positively stained cells in relation to the total number of fibroblastic cells in the wound area of this specimen was about 0.2. A considerable increase in the expression of p53 (r > 0.5) was first found in a wound aged 8 days and in wounds with postinfliction intervals ranging between 3 and 11 weeks, where the ratio of positive cells was between 0.40 and 0.64. Therefore, it can be calculated that r-values of at least 0.5 indicate a postinfliction interval of approximately 1 week or more. Since comparably low numbers of positively stained fibroblastic cells were found in specimens with an advanced wound duration, reliable information for a forensic wound age estimation can only be provided by positive results.