Positive effect of Astragaloside IV on neurite outgrowth via talin‐dependent integrin signaling and microfilament force

Integrin plays a prominent role in neurite outgrowth by transmitting both mechanical and chemical signals. Integrin expression is closely associated with Astragaloside IV (AS-IV), the main component extracted from Astragali radix, which has a positive effect on neural-protection. However, the relationship between AS-IV and neurite outgrowth has not been studied exhaustively to date. The present study investigated the underlying mechanism of AS-IV on neurite outgrowth. Longer neurites have been observed in SH-SY5Y cells or cortical neurons after AS-IV treatment. Furthermore, AS-IV not only increased the expression of integrin β but also activated it. The AS-IV-induced increased integrin activity was attributed to the integrin-activating protein talin. Application of the actin force probe showed that AS-IV led to an increase in intracellular microfilament force during neurite growth. Furthermore, in response to AS-IV, the microfilament force was regulated by talin and integrin activity during neurite growth. These results suggest that AS-IV has the ability to increase intracellular structural force and facilitate neurite elongation by integrin signaling, which highlights its therapeutic potential for neurite outgrowth.