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An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota
Published on: July 31, 2019
The exploration of using gut microbiota to estimate early post-mortem interval
Zhu-Song Mei1, Yuan Luo1, Qiao Ye1
1Laboratory of Clinical Medicine, Air Force Medical Center, Air Force Medical University, PLA, Beijing, 100142, China.
Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
|May 20, 2026
Summary
Changes in rat gut bacteria during the first 24 hours after death correlate with post-mortem interval (PMI). This study highlights gut microbiota as a potential forensic tool for estimating early PMI.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Science
- Microbiology
- Genomics
Background:
- Estimating early post-mortem interval (PMI) is crucial in forensic medicine but remains challenging.
- The gut microbiota exhibits successional changes after host death, offering potential as a forensic indicator.
- Previous research indicates microbial shifts post-mortem, necessitating detailed characterization within the early PMI window.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the successional patterns of the rat cecal microbiota within the first 24 hours post-mortem.
- To identify specific bacterial taxa and community structures associated with early PMI.
- To explore the potential of gut microbiota as a biomarker for forensic time-of-death estimation.
Main Methods:
- 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing was employed to analyze cecal microbiota composition in rats over a 24-hour post-mortem period.
- Small sample sizes (n=3 per group) were utilized for initial characterization.
- Bioinformatic analyses, including Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) and Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt), were performed.
Main Results:
- Overall microbial diversity remained relatively stable, but community structure showed gradual temporal shifts within 24 hours post-mortem.
- Significant changes in specific bacterial taxa were observed, including a decrease in Lactobacillus and an increase in Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group.
- LEfSe identified 15 bacterial clades as potential differential biomarkers, and PICRUSt suggested temporal shifts in microbial metabolic potential.
Conclusions:
- Preliminary findings suggest a correlation between gut microbiota composition and early post-mortem interval (PMI).
- The study highlights the potential of analyzing gut microbiota successional changes as a novel forensic indicator for estimating early PMI.
- Further validation with larger cohorts is required to confirm these findings and establish the reliability of this approach.
