Table 3.

Protein biomarkers classified into different functional groups by their role in favoring the instability of the atheroma plaque.

PLATELET ACTIVATION	Upregulated with high affinity to collagenous structures in the core region of the atherosclerotic plaque
Glycoprotein VI receptor
αIIbβ3 receptor
SIGNAL PATHWAYS	Over-expressed—inducing cell growth, survival, adhesion, invasion, and migration
Integrin-linked kinase
Sarcoma protooncogene tyrosine-protein kinase
CYTOSKELETON-ASSOCIATED PROTEINS	Downregulated in human atherosclerotic plaques, which indicates the tendency to limit the platelet activity
Talin
Vinculin
A and β tubulins
Vimentin
F- actin capping
ENERGY METABOLISM-RELATED PROTEINS
Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase
Pyruvate kinase
Lactat dehydrogenase
ANTIOXIDANT PROTEINS	Lower expression that facilitates platelet activation and allows advanced oxidation protein products to maintain chronic inflammation
Glutathione-S-transferase
Manganese superoxidase dismutase