A Helminth Mimic of TGF-β, TGM, Enhances Regenerative Cutaneous Wound Healing and Modulates Immune Cell Recruitment and Activation

The study demonstrates that TGF-β mimic (TGM), a molecule secreted by intestinal helminth parasites, can enhance wound healing and tissue regeneration. In an in vivo wound biopsy model, TGM treatment resulted in accelerated re-epithelialization and hair follicle regeneration, without increased scarring. The treatment also influenced the expansion of myeloid populations at different stages of wound healing, including an enhanced early accumulation of macrophages. However, the percentage of alternatively activated (M2) macrophages expressing CD206 was reduced with TGM treatment during early and mid-stage wound healing. The study suggests that TGM, through its interaction with the TGF-β receptor, can stimulate the recruitment and reprogramming of specific macrophage subsets, making it a potential novel therapeutic option for enhanced wound healing.