Structural modeling of GSK3β implicates the inactive (DFG-out) conformation as the target bound by TDZD analogs

Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) controls many physiological pathways, and is implicated in many diseases including Alzheimer’s and several cancers. GSK3β-mediated phosphorylation of target residues in microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPTAU) contributes to MAPTAU hyperphosphorylation and subsequent formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Inhibitors of GSK3β protect against Alzheimer’s disease and are therapeutic for several cancers. A thiadiazolidinone drug, TDZD-8, is a non-ATP-competitive inhibitor targeting GSK3β with demonstrated efficacy against multiple diseases. However, no experimental data or models define the binding mode of TDZD-8 with GSK3β, which chiefly reflects our lack of an established inactive conformation for this protein. Here, we used metadynamic simulation to predict the three-dimensional structure of the inactive conformation of GSK3β. Our model predicts that phosphorylation of GSK3β Serine9 would hasten the DFG-flip to an inactive state. Molecular docking and simulation predict the TDZD-8 binding conformation of GSK3β to be inactive, and are consistent with biochemical evidence for the TDZD-8–interacting residues of GSK3β. We also identified the pharmacophore and assessed binding efficacy of second-generation TDZD analogs (TDZD-10 and Tideglusib) that bind GSK3β as non-ATP-competitive inhibitors. Based on these results, the predicted inactive conformation of GSK3β can facilitate the identification of novel GSK3β inhibitors of high potency and specificity.