Fas Ligand Exists on Intervertebral Disc Cells: A Potential Molecular Mechanism for Immune Privilege of the Disc

Abstract

We demonstrated the existence of Fas ligand on disc cells, which should play a key role in the potential molecular mechanism to maintain immune privilege of the disc. Immune privilege and Fas ligand expression of the intervertebral disc may provide a new insight for basic science research as well as clinical treatments for disc degenerative diseases, including disc herniation with radicular pain.