Grant: Operating Grant

Arthritis is a serious medical problem affecting a large majority of the population and has limited options for treatment. Symptoms including pain, joint inflammation and swelling have adverse effects on joint mobility and a significant impact on quality of life. Although the cause of arthritis in not known, several studies suggest that abnormal transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is involved in arthritis. TGF-beta is produced by most cells of the body and plays an important role in the development and maintenance of healthy cartilage. However, abnormal TGF-beta action in the joints can lead to several problems including cartilage destruction leading to osteoarthritis or other joint diseases. Our research goals are to understand the biology of TGF-beta in human cartilage cells (chondrocytes) and to uncover how deregulated TGF-beta action is involved in arthritic conditions. The proposed research may lead to the development of new therapies for the treatment these conditions.