ACTA1 and cancer: In all instances, the coincubation of cancer cells with MSCs resulted in increased α-SMA expression with a plateau at 30 h, except in the presence of Adam8 mAb or lentivirus Adam8 KO, in which there was a progressive decline in α-SMA expression starting at approx. 30 h and ranging to a level 1.5–2-fold greater than the baseline.