TNF and atherosclerosis: There is growing evidence from longitudinal observational studies of associations between elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), or the acute phase C-reactive protein (CRP), and a range of adverse aging outcomes including accelerated vascular aging, atherosclerosis, bone and muscle loss, and cognitive impairment (6).