Switching between phenotypes is a tightly orchestrated, but reversible, process seen in atherosclerosis and neointima formation1,2, gastrointestinal3 and urinary bladder4 pathology, and which depends on myocardin related transcription factors (MRTFs), in particular myocardin (MYOCD)1,2,5–9. Here, MYOCD is linked to atherosclerosis.