Anavex Life Sciences Corp (AVXL)

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“Cellular Homeostasis” Is Complex

Is this a description of the cellular homeostasis process or, at least, a part of it?

What I described (regarding the BAG3 gene and its tau-clearing protein, and how Anavex 2-73 might facilitate its full function) touches upon the restoration of a neuron homeostasis. But, altogether, far more complex.

In cells (and tissues and organ systems) there are a multitude of homeostatic processes that must operate to maintain health and function. Homeostasis is a response and feedback operation. Some process responds (acts) either too strongly, or weakly. Whereupon homeostasis (“same-state”) feeds back by appropriately increasing or decreasing the process. It’s a continuing active process, keeping things in a normal range.

In the case of the Anavex sigma-1 receptor agonist, it forces or allows the neuron to maintain proper production of reaction-controlling enzymes. Many central nervous system diseases are caused by or complicated by absent or poorly-functioning enzymes. With that, crucial chemical reactions don’t occur. Pathology results.

(I’ve mentioned this before, but briefly, once again.) In the case of central nervous systems without Alzheimer’s, neuron genetics (DNA) code for the production of precisely-folded proteins, specific enzymes that clear the normal wastes of neuron physiology. With those, beta-amyloid and tau wastes don’t accumulate; neurons function properly.

With Alzheimer’s, pathologic concentrations of wastes accumulate because neurons no longer produce sufficient or functioning waste-clearing enzymes. Normal homeostasis, the generation of appropriate quantities of waste-clearing enzymes occurs when the neuron detects certain, feedback-generating concentrations of protein wastes. Few wastes; and the neuron makes few waste-clearing enzymes. Wastes begin to accumulate; new, higher concentrations of waste-clearing enzymes are then responsively produced. This keeps waste levels at sub-pathologic level. Response and feedback — classic homeostasis.

But in Alzheimer’s, because mitochondria and their associated endoplasmic reticula are no longer properly connected (something Anavex 2-73 does), insufficient ATP is made by the mitochondrion or fails to get transported to the endoplasmic reticulum. Without adequate ATP, the ER lacks sufficient energy to precisely fold the genetically-programed enzyme proteins into their final, functioning configuration. Hence, waste proteins accumulate, disturbing neuron function. Alzheimer’s occurs.

Also involved is calcium ion transport between the two organelles. I’m not clear on exactly how calcium ion exchange is involved. Nonetheless, Anavex 2-73 restores this process, too. Calcium ions are involved in various chemical signaling processes within cellular homeostatic processes.