e-QSAR (Explainable AI-QSAR), molecular docking, and ADMET analysis of structurally diverse GSK3-beta modulators to identify concealed modulatory features vindicated by X-ray

Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β) is a crucial enzyme linked to various cellular processes, including neurodegeneration, autophagy, and diabetes. A structurally diverse set of 1293 molecules having GSK-3β modulatory activity has been used. Molecular docking and eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) have been used concomitantly. The approach involves using GA for feature selection and XGBoost for in-depth analysis, yielding strong statistical validation with R2tr = 0.9075, R2L10 %O = 0.9116, and Q2F3 = 0.7841. Molecular docking provided complementary and similar results. Machine learning model interpretation using SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) revealed that specific structural features like aromatic carbon with specific partial charges, non-ring nitrogen atoms, sp³-hybrid carbon atoms, and the topological distance between carbon and nitrogen atoms, among others, significantly influence the modulatory profile. The results are also supported by reported X-ray resolved structures. In addition, in-silico ADMET analysis is also accomplished. This research underscores the value of advanced machine learning techniques in understanding complex biological phenomena and supporting rational drug design.