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α-Smooth Muscle Actin
Pathway / Fibrous-cap degradation & rupture

α-Smooth Muscle Actin

ACTA2protein

ACTA2 (α-SMA) marks myofibroblast activation and fibrotic remodeling of the atherosclerotic plaque and myocardium.

Pathway placement
Cascade stepFibrous-cap degradation & rupture
Confidencemedium
RationaleMyofibroblast marker in fibrous-cap remodeling and cardiac fibrosis; smooth muscle activation.
Also acts inVascular inflammation
Druggability
DruggableNo
Known drugs / candidates0
Small-molecule tractableNo
Antibody tractableNo
EnsemblENSG00000107796

Type I vs non-Type I discrimination

ScoresNon-Type-I-associated
R — rupture / Type-I
—
C — non-Type-I
61
A — assay feasibility
68
E — evidence strength
86
T1DI (composite)
16
Specificity differential (R−C)-45.6
Non-Type-I axis panel
Does this marker also move in each non-Type-I setting? mag 0–3; higher means less Type-I-specific. n/a = no evidence retrieved, which is not the same as no change.
2sepsis / systemic inflammationmag 2
2anemia / acute blood lossn/a
2hypovolemia / dehydrationmag 2
2tachyarrhythmiamag 2
2hypoxemia / respiratory failuremag 2
2hypertensive emergencymag 1
2high-demand / peri-operative stressmag 2
3sudden cardiac deathmag 2
4aPCI-related periproceduralmag 2
4bstent thrombosismag 1
4cin-stent restenosismag 2
5CABG-relatedmag 2
Coverage: 11/12 axes with evidence
Tier: deep-scored (abstract-extracted) · 21 supporting references. See the discrimination table for all markers.

Assay & specimen

Class-level default (no specific cleared assay)— generic method inferred from analyte class; confirm against a specific product insert before use.
Specimen
Serum or plasma
Collection tube
Serum separator (gold/red-top, SST) · K2/K3-EDTA (lavender-top)
Method / principle
Sandwich immunoassay (ELISA) — research-grade unless a cleared assay exists
Reagent / substrate
Matched anti-target antibody pair (capture + labeled detection)
Platform
ELISA microplate or multiplex (Luminex/MSD)
Turnaround · availability
Send-out / research · Research-grade (no universal clinical assay)

Literature evidence(3)