Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway
The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway is a cytokine-signaling system involved in the regulation of cellular differentiation, proliferation, migration, immune responses, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and tissue remodeling.
The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway is a cytokine-signaling system involved in the regulation of cellular differentiation, proliferation, migration, immune responses, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and tissue remodeling. Its activity is closely associated with Smad signaling and intersects with other inflammatory and growth-regulatory networks, including bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), nuclear factor κB, and vascular endothelial growth factor pathways. In disease, dysregulated TGF-β activity is linked to fibrosis, tumor progression, metastasis, vascular remodeling, and altered immune-cell phenotypes.
TGF-β signaling is also a therapeutic target. Current research described in the supplied publications includes pathway inhibition, modulation of ligand activation through αvβ5 integrin, regulation by microRNA-224, and investigation of TGF-β-directed treatment combinations with photodynamic therapy or immune-checkpoint blockade. The pathway is studied in relation to interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), CD8-positive T cells, interferon gamma, reactive oxygen species, fibrosis, and immunotherapy across cancer, inflammatory, vascular, and degenerative diseases.
Where the papers sit
10 papers from the last 6 months study Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway directly · updated from PubMed 12 Oct 2026
Study type 0 clinical trials · 1 human data · 9 preclinical
Themes 3 themes · 1 new direction
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Immune and Tissue Remodeling
TGF-β-linked control of immune and tissue cell states is the shared focus, rather than one disease. The work spans mesenchymal stem-cell immunomodulation, αvβ5 integrin effects in pancreatic tumor microenvironments, sepsis-related neutrophil subsets, and nitric oxide-based suppression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Cell proliferation, cytokine signaling, surface markers, and EMT recur as readouts. The cluster offers no single therapeutic direction, instead combining immune regulation, biomarker discovery, and tissue remodeling.
4 papers · 40%
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TGF-β in Lung Disease
TGF-β is being pursued as a disease-modifying node across pulmonary hypertension and lung cancer. In pulmonary arterial hypertension, miR-224 and BMP/TGF-β signaling support antisense or microRNA-directed strategies. In lung cancer, tumor-intrinsic TGF-β blockade may provoke hyperprogression, while the MALAT1/miR-145 axis is linked to metastatic adenocarcinoma. The opposing effects make cell context and tumor selection central unresolved issues.
3 papers · 30%
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Herbal TGF-β Therapies
Traditional herbal treatments are being connected to TGF-β/Smad control of chronic inflammatory, degenerative, and fibrotic disease. Withaferin A, Duhuo Jisheng Decoction, and Wumei Wan are examined through network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation. Recurring mechanisms include metabolic reprogramming, autophagy-fibrosis signaling, mucus-barrier restoration, and goblet-cell differentiation. The work remains largely preclinical, with pathway-level mechanisms needing confirmation in disease-specific models.
3 papers · 30%
TGF-β can restrain tumor growth intrinsically rather than promote disease
In small cell lung cancer treated with bintrafusp alfa, the study found that tumor-intrinsic TGF-β signaling restrained proliferation in a subset of tumors, so blocking the pathway triggered hyperproliferation and hyperprogressive disease rather than therapeutic tumor control 42018154Apr. This assigns TGF-β a growth-constraining role distinct from the set’s disease-promoting, immunosuppressive, and fibrotic roles and makes tumor-intrinsic pathway status a determinant of whether TGF-β blockade is harmful.
Papers
The 10 papers from the last 6 months that study Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway directly, newest first, by theme and by study type. Study types come from PubMed publication types and MeSH headings.
By theme
Immune and Tissue Remodeling (4)
- Identification of novel sepsis-related neutrophil subsets and surface markers for clinical diagnosis and outcome. Virulence · 25 Aug 2026 PMID 42640005
- Nitric Oxide-Releasing Molecular Co-Assembly Enables Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Suppression and Intermolecular Electron Transfer-Enhanced Type-I Photodynamic Therapy. ACS nano · 11 Aug 2026 PMID 42579410
- A Comparative Study of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Derived From Human Embryonic Stem Cell-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Through a Trophoblast-like Stage and Bone Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Treating Acute Xenogeneic Graft-versus-host Disease in Humanized Mice. Transplantation · 9 Jun 2026 PMID 42260632
- Targeting the αvβ5 Integrin Modifies the TGFβ-Rich Tumor Microenvironment of Pancreatic Cancer. Cancer research · 14 May 2026 PMID 42133398
TGF-β in Lung Disease (3)
- MicroRNA-224 orchestrates BMP and TGFβ signaling and is a therapeutic target in preclinical pulmonary arterial hypertension. Science translational medicine · 2 Sept 2026 PMID 42685153
- Biochemical Signature in Deciphering the Metastasis-Associated Lung Adenocarcinoma Transcript 1/microRNA-145 Axis and Its Molecular Correlation with Nuclear Factor Kappa Beta/Transforming Growth Factor-Beta and Apoptotic Proteins Expression in Colorectal Cancer. Journal of interferon & cytokine research : the official journal of the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research · 29 Jun 2026 PMID 42371822
- Blockade of Tumor-Intrinsic TGFβ Signaling Drives Hyperprogression in Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cancer discovery · 22 Apr 2026 PMID 42018154
Herbal TGF-β Therapies (3)
- Network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation of the mechanisms of Withaferin a in treating periodontitis. Clinical oral investigations · 9 Sept 2026 PMID 42714624
- Duhuo Jisheng Decoction Mitigates Intervertebral Disc Degeneration via Metabolic Reprogramming and TGF-β/Smad-Driven Autophagy-Fibrosis Network Modulation. Biomedical chromatography : BMC · 1 Jul 2026 PMID 42385220
- Wumei Wan restores the colonic mucus barrier by modulating TGF-β/Smad signaling to promote goblet cell differentiation in ulcerative colitis. Journal of ethnopharmacology · 15 May 2026 PMID 42140533
By study type
Human data, design not indexed (1)
- Biochemical Signature in Deciphering the Metastasis-Associated Lung Adenocarcinoma Transcript 1/microRNA-145 Axis and Its Molecular Correlation with Nuclear Factor Kappa Beta/Transforming Growth Factor-Beta and Apoptotic Proteins Expression in Colorectal Cancer. Journal of interferon & cytokine research : the official journal of the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research · 29 Jun 2026 PMID 42371822
Preclinical: animal, cell and lab studies (9)
- Network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation of the mechanisms of Withaferin a in treating periodontitis. Clinical oral investigations · 9 Sept 2026 PMID 42714624
- MicroRNA-224 orchestrates BMP and TGFβ signaling and is a therapeutic target in preclinical pulmonary arterial hypertension. Science translational medicine · 2 Sept 2026 PMID 42685153
- Identification of novel sepsis-related neutrophil subsets and surface markers for clinical diagnosis and outcome. Virulence · 25 Aug 2026 PMID 42640005
- Nitric Oxide-Releasing Molecular Co-Assembly Enables Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Suppression and Intermolecular Electron Transfer-Enhanced Type-I Photodynamic Therapy. ACS nano · 11 Aug 2026 PMID 42579410
- Duhuo Jisheng Decoction Mitigates Intervertebral Disc Degeneration via Metabolic Reprogramming and TGF-β/Smad-Driven Autophagy-Fibrosis Network Modulation. Biomedical chromatography : BMC · 1 Jul 2026 PMID 42385220
- A Comparative Study of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Derived From Human Embryonic Stem Cell-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Through a Trophoblast-like Stage and Bone Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Treating Acute Xenogeneic Graft-versus-host Disease in Humanized Mice. Transplantation · 9 Jun 2026 PMID 42260632
- Wumei Wan restores the colonic mucus barrier by modulating TGF-β/Smad signaling to promote goblet cell differentiation in ulcerative colitis. Journal of ethnopharmacology · 15 May 2026 PMID 42140533
- Targeting the αvβ5 Integrin Modifies the TGFβ-Rich Tumor Microenvironment of Pancreatic Cancer. Cancer research · 14 May 2026 PMID 42133398
- Blockade of Tumor-Intrinsic TGFβ Signaling Drives Hyperprogression in Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cancer discovery · 22 Apr 2026 PMID 42018154
Written from 10 PubMed abstracts, each one listed by PMID above. Published: 2026-09-11. Drafted by language models from published abstracts; not medical advice.