ACTA2

Overview

ACTA2 (alpha smooth muscle actin, α-SMA) is a cytoskeletal protein and canonical marker of activated cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and myofibroblasts. In cancer, ACTA2+ CAF infiltration is associated with desmoplastic stroma and poor prognosis.

Alterations observed in the corpus

• Upregulated as a CAF activation marker under high-stiffness (16 kPa) matrix in GBC-associated gallbladder fibroblasts; α-SMA+ (ACTA2+) CAF infiltration correlated with stromal SEMA7A expression in the 86-patient cohort PMID:24997986

Cancer types (linked)

• GBC: α-SMA+ CAF infiltration observed in desmoplastic GBC stroma; ACTA2 co-expressed with SEMA7A and COL1A1 in ACTA2+ CAF subclusters by scRNA-seq (OEP00001237) PMID:24997986

Co-occurrence and mutual exclusivity

Therapeutic relevance

Open questions

Sources

• PMID:24997986

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