MTOR and intervertebral disk degenerative disorder: Western blotting showed the expression of mTOR, RAPTOR, RICTOR, p70/S6K, and Akt and the phosphorylation of mTOR, p70/S6K, and Akt in all patient samples with 19 to 81 in ages and 2 to 5 in degeneration grades.80, 98 Regression analysis demonstrated age‐dependent decreases in Akt expression and phosphorylation levels.80 Furthermore, mTOR, p70/S6K, and Akt expression and phosphorylation were increased in Pfirrmann53 grade‐3 discs.98 Despite the elevated interest in mTOR signaling,42 its involvement in disc degeneration remains largely unknown.