Identification of novel small molecules against GSK3β for Alzheimer's disease using chemoinformatics approach

Rohit Shukla1, Nupur S Munjal1, Tiratha Raj Singh1

  • 1Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology (JUIT), Waknaghat, Solan, H.P, 173234, India.

Insights

Researchers identified two novel small molecules, ZINC21011059 and ZINC21011066, as potential drug candidates for Alzheimer's disease. These compounds show stable binding to Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta (GSK3β), a key enzyme in disease progression.

Area of Science:

  • Computational chemistry
  • Neuroscience
  • Drug discovery

Background:

  • Alzheimer's disease is a growing global health concern, characterized by neurodegeneration.
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) is a critical enzyme in Alzheimer's pathogenesis, promoting tau protein hyperphosphorylation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify novel small molecules targeting GSK3β for Alzheimer's disease treatment.
  • To utilize an integrated chemoinformatics and pharmacokinetic approach for drug candidate discovery.

Main Methods:

  • Screening of over 5 million compounds from the ZINC database against GSK3β.
  • Pharmacokinetic analysis of top-ranked compounds, followed by redocking studies using Autodock Vina and Autodock.
  • Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of 100 nanoseconds to assess protein-ligand complex stability.

Main Results:

  • 298 potent compounds were initially selected, with 29 showing promising pharmacokinetic characteristics.
  • Four compounds demonstrated significant binding affinity to GSK3β.
  • GSK3β-ZINC21011059 and GSK3β-ZINC21011066 formed stable protein-ligand complexes based on MD analysis.

Conclusions:

  • ZINC21011059 and ZINC21011066 are proposed as novel therapeutic agents targeting GSK3β for Alzheimer's disease.
  • The identified scaffolds warrant further optimization for improved selectivity and in vitro/in vivo validation.

Related Concept Videos