BackgroundTo explore the role of skeletal muscle specific TGF-β signaling on macrophages efferocytosis in inflamed muscle caused by Cardiotoxin (CTX) injection.MethodsCTX myoinjury was manipulated in TGF-βr2flox/flox(control) mice or transgenic mice with TGF-β receptor 2 (TGF-βr2) being specifically deleted in skeletal muscle (SM TGF-βr2−/−). Gene levels of TGF-β signal molecules, special inflammatory mediators in damaged muscle or in cultured and differentiated myogenic precursor cells (MPC-myotubes) were monitored by transcriptome microarray or qRT-PCR. TGF-β pathway molecules, myokines and embryonic myosin heavy chain in regenerating myofibers, the phenotype and efferocytosis of macrophages were evaluated by immunofluorescence, immunoblotting, Luminex, or FACS analysis. In vitro apoptotic cells were prepared by UV-irradiation.ResultsIn control mice, TGF-β-Smad2/3 signaling were significantly up-regulated in regenerating centronuclear myofibers after CTX-myoinjury. More severe muscle inflammation was caused by the deficiency of muscle TGF-β signaling, with the increased number of M1, but the decreased number of M2 macrophages. Notably, the deficiency of TGF-β signaling in myofibers dramatically affected on the ability of macrophages to conduct efferocytosis, marked by the decreased number of Annexin-V−F4/80+Tunel+macrophages in inflamed muscle, and the impaired uptake of macrophages to PKH67+apoptotic cells transferred into damaged muscle. Further, our study suggested that, the intrinsic TGF-β signaling directed IL-10-Vav1-Rac1 efferocytosis signaling in muscle macrophages.ConclusionsOur data demonstrate that muscle inflammation can be suppressed potentially by activating the intrinsic TGF-β signaling in myofibers to promote IL-10 dependent-macrophages efferocytosis.Video AbstractSupplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12964-023-01163-8.