The calcium channel TRPV4 in skeletal development and arthritis

我们已经发现，钙通道基因TRPV4的突变会导致手和脚的遗传性骨关节炎。这项工作表明TRPV4可能在骨关节炎中起重要作用，并表明调节TRPV4活性可能为关节炎提供一种新的治疗方法，这一可能性令人兴奋。我们将研究这些突变是如何以及为什么扰乱通道功能的，并研究小鼠模型，看看它们是更容易还是更不容易患关节炎。

We have discovered that mutations in a calcium channel gene, TRPV4, cause an inherited osteoarthritis in the hands and feet. This work suggests that TRPV4 may be important in osteoarthritis and suggests the exciting possibility that modulating TRPV4 activity may provide a new therapeutic approach for arthritis. We will study how and why the mutations disrupt channel function and study mouse models to see if they are more or less susceptible to arthritis.