Expression of soluble Fas and soluble FasL in human nucleus pulposus cells.
The study aimed for addressing the expression of soluble Fas (sFas) and soluble Fas Ligand (sFasL) in human nucleus pulposus (NP) and its attendant relationship with disc degeneration. Human NP samples were collected from patients with disc degeneration and cadavers as degenerate and normal groups, respectively. Subsequently, NP cells were cultured in monolayer. ELISA was performed to identify the expression levels of sFas and sFasL in the supernatant of NP cell cultures in vitro. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of sFas and sFasL in human NP cells in mRNA solution. The study comprised 12 degenerate and 8 normal cadaveric NP samples. The concentration value of sFas in the supernatant was significantly higher from degenerate NP than that from normal NP at each time point. In contrast, sFasL was significantly lower at each time point. Moreover, the expression of sFas and sFasL reached the peak at various early stages of cell cultures and decreased thereafter. Furthermore, the mRNA level of Fas in degenerate NP cells was significantly higher than that in normal cells; whereas FasL showed an opposite pattern. The study is the first addressing the expression of sFas and sFasL in human NP cell cultures. Moreover, the expression of sFas and sFasL varies with culture time in vitro with different levels in degenerate and normal settings. These findings indicate that sFas and sFasL might play a role in intervertebral disc degeneration.
Department of Orthopaedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, P. R. China.
Zhen
Z
Sun
Zhong-Yuan
ZY
Wan
Zhi-Heng
ZH
Liu
Yun-Shan
YS
Guo
Jun-Bin
JB
Yin
Chun-Guang
CG
Duan
Yang
Y
Gao
Tao
T
Li
Hai-Qiang
HQ
Wang
Zhuo-Jing
ZJ
Luo
D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D055815:Young Adult; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*
C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D019014:fas Receptor
Intervertebral disc; immune privilege; nucleus pulposus; soluble Fas; soluble FasL