Radix Astragalus Polysaccharide Accelerates Angiogenesis by Activating AKT/eNOS to Promote Nerve Regeneration and Functional Recovery

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) results in loss of neural control and severe disabilities in patients. Promoting functional nerve recovery by accelerating angiogenesis is a promising neuroprotective treatment strategy. Here, we identified a bioactive Radix Astragalus polysaccharide (RAP) extracted from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as a potent enhancer of axonal regeneration and remyelination. Notably, RAP promoted functional recovery and delayed gastrocnemius muscle atrophy in a rat model of sciatic nerve crush injury. Further, RAP treatment induced angiogenesis in vivo. Moreover, our in vitro results showed that the role of RAP in endothelial cell (EC) migration and tube formation was probably related to the activation of AKT/eNOS signaling pathway. Altogether, our results show that RAP can enhance functional recovery by accelerating angiogenesis, thereby providing a polysaccharide-based therapeutic strategy for PNI. Overall design: Compared with the control group, the mRNA profile of Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) after 24 hours of rap treatment.