MicroRNAs (miRNAs), due to their short length and relative resistance to degradation, have emerged as promising biomarkers for the identification of forensic biological samples. This study aimed to investigate the time-dependent stability of miR-203a and miR-205, which are considered potential markers for saliva identification, under different environmental conditions. In addition, the stability of SNORD48, used as an endogenous control, was also evaluated.
Saliva stains obtained from five volunteers were exposed to three different environmental conditions—room temperature and sunlight exposure—for periods ranging from 1 day to 9 months. Following RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was performed using SYBR Green chemistry. The stability of selected miRNAs and SNORD48 was assessed based on Ct values and statistically analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics.
No statistically significant differences were observed in the stability of miR-203a, miR-205, or SNORD48 in samples stored at room temperature (p > 0.05). Similarly, in samples exposed to sunlight for up to 9 months, miR-205 and SNORD48 maintained stable Ct values with no significant variation over time (p > 0.05). However, miR-203a showed a statistically significant decrease in stability under prolonged sunlight exposure (p < 0.05), indicating increased susceptibility to environmental degradation.
These findings demonstrate that miR-203a, miR-205, and SNORD48 remain stable in saliva samples stored at room temperature for extended periods, supporting their applicability in forensic analysis of saliva evidence. However, the reduced stability of miR-203a under sunlight exposure highlights the need for cautious interpretation when analyzing samples subjected to adverse environmental conditions.