MMP9 and Heat Stroke: The present study analyzed the gene expressions of MMP2, MMP9, CLDN5, OCLN, ZO1, AQP1 and AQP4, in the brains of forensic autopsy cases, using reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), combined with immunohistochemical detections, to investigate the molecular pathology of brain edema in fatal heat stroke cases with special regard to the importance of reference gene selection.