Recent epidemiological studies have found that androgen deficiency is associated with a
higher incidence of cardiovascular disease in men. However, little is known about the
mechanism underlying the cardioprotective effects of androgens. Here we show the
inhibitory effects of testosterone on vascular calcification and a critical role of androgen
receptor (AR)-dependent transactivation of growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6), a key
regulator of inorganic phosphate (P i)-induced calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells …