Parasitic intestinal roundworm Heligmosomoides polygyrus makes your skin smooth

NEWS - Researchers have discovered a protein produced by a parasitic worm in the intestines that promotes wound healing. Applying a protein produced by the roundworm Heligmosomoides polygyrus accelerated wound closure, increased skin regeneration and inhibited scar tissue formation.

Skin wounds must be closed quickly to prevent infection, but rapid wound closure can promote scar tissue development and inhibit skin regeneration. The balance between scarring and tissue regeneration is strongly influenced by the immune cells that flock to the wound site.

Many researchers are interested in finding ways to increase the activity of the types of immune cells that promote regeneration and inhibit the activity of immune cells that promote scar tissue formation. Recent research suggests that molecules secreted by parasitic worms can modulate the host immune system, which promotes tissue regeneration.

William Gause of the State University of New Jersey in Newark and his team investigated the TGM protein produced by H. polygyrus, which lives in the intestines of mice and other rodents. Daily topical application of TGM accelerated skin wound closure, increased skin regeneration, the formation of new hair follicles in the injured area and reduced scar tissue formation.

TGM binds to the TGF-b receptor signaling protein found on the surface of many types of cells, including immune cells. TGM treatment stimulates the recruitment of immune cells as macrophages into the wound and reprograms them, which promotes tissue regeneration.

"We have developed a new therapy for the treatment of skin wounds that prioritizes regenerative wound healing. This provides a framework for the potential use of easily produced parasitic proteins as a therapy to accelerate skin wound healing," Gause said.

Original research

Katherine E Lothstein, Fei Chen, Pankaj Mishra, Danielle J Smyth, Wenhui Wu, Alexander Lemenze, Yosuke Kumamoto, Rick M Maizels, William C Gause. Life Science Alliance, vol. 7 no. 11 e202302249 (2024). DOI:10.26508/lsa.202302249

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