Abstract: The present invention provides a suppressing agent for inflammatory cytokine expression in joints and/or joint destruction (e.g., articular cartilage destruction) and/or pain in a bone/joint disease, comprising a substance that suppresses the expression or activity of a protein comprising the same or substantially the same amino acid sequence as the amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO:2, a screening method for a substance that regulates inflammatory cytokine expression in joints and/or joint destruction (e.g., articular cartilage destruction) and/or pain in a bone/joint disease, comprising using the protein or a partial peptide thereof, and a diagnostic method for genetic susceptibility to a bone/joint disease, comprising detecting a polymorph in the base shown by base number 24007 in the partial base sequence of the human EDG2 gene shown by SEQ ID NO:3.

Abstract: The present invention provides the prophylaxis and treatment of bone and joint diseases by regulating the expression or activity of calmodulin, the prophylaxis and treatment of bone and joint diseases by regulating the expression or activity of asporin, and a diagnostic method for genetic susceptibility to bone and joint diseases by detecting polymorphisms in the CALM1 gene and/or the asporin gene, and the like.