Expression of Fas receptor and apoptosis in vertebral endplates with degenerative disc diseases categorized as Modic type I or II.

Study Design: Vertebral endplate tissues were obtained from patients with degenerated lumbar disc classified as Modic type 1 or type 2 and investigated with immunohistochemical staining and the DNA nick end labelling techniques.

Objective: To examine the expression of fas receptor (FasR) and apoptosis in the endplate cells isolated from patients with degenerative disc disease and to see whether they are associated with the pathological change of endplate.

Methods: Fifty-six degenerated lumbar endplate specimens were obtained from the patients with degenerative disc disease categorized as type Modic I or II in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and eight nondegenerated specimens as control (vertebra burst fracture patients without degenerative change in MRI) during surgical procedures.