Low total testosterone levels are associated with the metabolic syndrome in elderly men: the role of body weight, lipids, insulin resistance, and inflammation; the Ikaria study.

Background: The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) increases with age. Among other changes, testosterone levels decline with age. The relationship between testosterone levels and MetS components in older subjects has not been clearly defined until today.

Effects of direct infusion of bone marrow-derived progenitor cells and indirect mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells on atherosclerotic plaque and inflammatory process in atherosclerosis.

Background: We sought to investigate the effects of lin-/sca+ cells, endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration on atherosclerotic plaque progression.

Methods: Apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE(-/-)) mice were splenectomized and treated with high-cholesterol diet for 6 weeks in order to induce atherosclerotic plaque development. Bone marrow-derived Lin-/sca-1+ cells were isolated and further cultured to early growth endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs).

Infusion of lin-/sca-1+ and endothelial progenitor cells improves proinflammatory and oxidative stress markers in atherosclerotic mice.

Background: The effects of direct infusion or indirect mobilization of progenitor cells on atherosclerotic plaque development and progression are not clear. We sought to investigate the effects of hematopoietic progenitors lineage negative/stem cell antigen-1 positive (lin-/sca-1+) cells, endothelial progenitor cells and G-CSF administration on the inflammatory and oxidative component of atherosclerosis.

Methods: Splenectomized ApoE(-/-) C57BL/6J mice (6-8 weeks of age) fed with a high-fat, cholesterol-rich diet for 6 weeks, were divided in four groups (n=10/group) and received two intravenous injections of 5 × 10(5) cells (lin-/sca-1+ or EPCs), or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF 100 μg/kg/day) for 7 days or normal saline.