A novel GSK3β inhibitor ameliorates tau aggregation and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract

In Alzheimer's disease, increased GSK3β activity drives tau phosphorylation and directly or indirectly triggers neuroinflammation, neuronal damage and cognitive decline. We previously developed a novel GSK3β inhibitor, ZLWH-60, which demonstrated inhibitory activity with an IC50 of 11.5 nM. Here, we comprehensively evaluated the therapeutic potential of ZLWH-60 in suppressing tau pathology and neuroinflammation using multiple chemically-induced AD models. Our results demonstrate that ZLWH-60 could reduce the phosphorylation of multiple tau epitopes by inhibiting the activity of GSK3β, thereby ameliorating cognitive impairments in OKA-induced mouse model. In the LPS-induced mouse model, ZLWH-60 also reduced the secretion of inflammatory factors in the brain, exerting a neuroprotective effect. Our data highlight that ZLWH-60, as a GSK3β inhibitor, has a powerful ability to reduce the phosphorylation of tau protein and shift the balance of the inflammatory response from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory, demonstrating the potential for therapeutic use of this drug to control AD.