Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39984487›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

TGM6 is a helminth secretory product that mimics TGF-β binding to TGFBR2 to antagonize signaling in fibroblasts.

Stephen E White, Tristin A Schwartze, Ananya Mukundan, Christina Schoenherr, Shashi P Singh, Maarten van Dinther, Kyle T Cunningham, Madeleine P J White, Tiffany Campion, John Pritchard and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Molecular Engineering of the Helminth TGF-β Mimetics, TGM1 and TGM4, Reveals a Novel Antagonist of TGF-β Signaling in Fibroblasts.FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Stephen E WhiteDepartment of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Tristin A SchwartzeDepartment of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Ananya MukundanDepartment of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1161-4158
Christina SchoenherrCancer Research UK Scotland Institute, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0983-6168
Shashi P SinghCentre for Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6029-8115
Maarten van DintherOncode Institute and Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, University of Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Kyle T CunninghamCentre for Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Madeleine P J WhiteCentre for Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Tiffany CampionCentre for Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-4010-0762
John PritchardCancer Research UK Scotland Institute, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1812-6985
Cynthia S HinckDepartment of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Peter Ten Dijke *Oncode Institute and Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, University of Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7234-342X
Gareth J Inman *Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6264-4253
Rick M Maizels *Centre for Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Andrew P Hinck *Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. ahinck@pitt.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3320-8054

Funding

ChimeraX -- Next Generation Visualization and Analysis Software for Multiscale ModelingR01GM129325 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI FERRIN, THOMAS E · 2018 to 2025
$5.2M
LIGAND/RECEPTOR INTERACTIONS IN THE TGF BETA SUPERFAMILYR01GM058670 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER · PI HINCK, ANDREW P · 1999 to 2017
$3.6M
Phase II SER-CAT Optimization: Acquisition of a next generation area detectorS10RR028976 · NCRR · UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA · PI WANG, BI-CHENG · 2010 to 2010
$1.5M
Acquisition of a High Precision Micro Diffractometer to Support NIH funded Research at SER-CATS10OD027000 · OD · UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA · PI ROSE, JOHN PATRICK · 2019 to 2019
$600k
Acquition of a microdiffractometer for SER-CATS10RR025528 · NCRR · UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA · PI ROSE, JOHN PATRICK · 2009 to 2009
$414k
Structure-function studies of the H. polygyrus TGF-beta, TGMR03AI153915 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI HINCK, ANDREW P · 2020 to 2021
$145k
Structure and Functionof a Parasitic TGF-beta Mimic, TGMF30AI157069 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI MUKUNDAN, ANANYA · 2021 to 2022
$103k
Cancer Research UK (CRUK) A29802Cancer Research UK (CRUK) A31287NCRR NIH HHS S10 RR025528NCRR NIH HHS S10 RR028976NIAID NIH HHS F30 AI157069NIAID NIH HHS R03 AI153915NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM058670NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM129325NIH HHS S10 OD027000U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) R01 GM58670Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust 219530
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

TGM6 is a natural antagonist of mammalian TGF-β signaling produced by the murine helminth parasite Heligmosomoides polygyrus. It differs from the previously described agonist, TGM1 (TGF-β Mimic-1), in that it lacks domains 1/2 that bind TGFBR1. It nonetheless retains TGFBR2 binding through domain 3 and potently inhibits TGF-β signaling in fibroblasts and epithelial cells, but does not inhibit TGF-β signaling in T cells, consistent with divergent domains 4/5 and an altered co-receptor binding preference. The crystal structure of TGM6 bound to TGFBR2 reveals an interface remarkably similar to that of TGF-β with TGFBR2. Thus, TGM6 has adapted its structure to mimic TGF-β, while engaging a distinct co-receptor to direct antagonism to fibroblasts and epithelial cells. The co-expression of TGM6, along with immunosuppressive TGMs that activate the TGF-β pathway, may minimize fibrotic damage to the host as the parasite progresses through its life cycle from the intestinal lumen to submucosa and back again. The co-receptor-dependent targeting of TGFBR2 by the parasite provides a template for the development of therapies for targeting the cancer- and fibrosis-promoting activities of the TGF-βs in humans.

Indexed as

FibroblastsHelminth ProteinsNematospiroides dubiusReceptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type IITransforming Growth Factor betaAnimalsCrystallography, X-RayEpithelial CellsHumansMiceProtein BindingSignal TransductionHelminth ProteinsReceptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type IITransforming Growth Factor beta

Identifiers

PMID39984487
PMCPMC11845725

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.