Abstract [Objective] Objective to investigate the correlation and clinical value of TRAIL gene and lumbar disc degeneration. [Methods] From July 2019 to July 2020, 60 patients with lumbar disc herniation were selected as the experimental group. At the same time, 60 patients with lumbar trauma who underwent surgery in our hospital were selected as the control group. Apoptotic lumbar disc cells were detected by in situ end labeling, TRAIL expression was detected by immunohistochemistry, apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, caspase-3 activity and expression in nucleus pulposus cells were detected by ELISA and Western blot.[ Results] The positive rate of apoptosis was 48.92% in the case group and 5.23% in the control group (P < 0.05);The positive rate of TRAIL protein expression was 49.11% in the case group and 12.25% in the control group (P < 0.05);The positive correlation between the rate of trail positive cells and TUNEL apoptosis was positive (r = 0.917, P < 0.01);In theTNF - α treated group, the proliferation rate (49.19 ± 2.89%) was significantly decreased (P < 0.05), and the apoptosis rate was significantly increased (P < 0.05).The apoptosis rate of trail siRNA + TNF-α group was significantly higher than that of control group (P < 0.05), but significantly lower than that of TNF - α group;The activity and expression of Caspase-3 in TNF - α treated cells were significantly increased (P < 0.05). [Conclusion] There was a positive correlation between the rate of trail positive cells and the rate of apoptotic cells in nucleus pulposus. Trail silencing could significantly improve the inhibitory effect of TNF - α on cell activity, and significantly inhibit the apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells and the activation and expression of Caspase-3 induced by TNF - α.