Selection of agents modulating gastrointestinal pain
The present embodiments relate to selection of agents effective in reducing or preventing gastrointestinal pain in a subject. Such an agent is selected and identified if it is capable of reducing spontaneous and/or induced transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) activation.
1. A method for selecting a lactic acid bacterial strain for reducing gastrointestinal pain locally in a subject, said method comprising:
contacting a cell expressing transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) with the bacterial strain;
measuring spontaneous and/or induced TRPV1 activation in said cell following the contacting; and
selecting said bacterial strain effective in reducing gastrointestinal pain locally when said measured spontaneous and/or induced TRPV1 activation is lower than control TRPV1 activation.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein measuring said spontaneous and/or induced TRPV1 activation comprises measuring Ca2+ influx in said cell induced by capsaicin, pH change and/or heat.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein measuring said spontaneous and/or induced TRPV1 activation comprises measuring temperature-gated ion-channel activity in said cell.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said bacterial strain is a Lactobacillus reuteri strain.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the Lactobacillus reuteri bacterial strain is Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 having been deposited under DSMZ Accession No. DSM 17938.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said bacterial strain is a Lactobacillus reuteri strain.
7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the Lactobacillus reuteri bacterial strain is Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 having been deposited under DSMZ Accession No. DSM 17938.