{
  "abstract": "Background\n\nMultiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma malignancy. Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), a rate-limiting enzyme in glycolysis, is involved in the metabolic reprogramming of tumors. Shikonin, a natural compound, exhibits anticancer potential. However, whether modulating PKM2 with shikonin can be used as an adjuvant chemotherapeutic strategy for MM remains to be elucidated. We explored the effects of shikonin on the metabolic pathways in MM cells.Methods\n\nApoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and cell cycle progression in MM cells treated with shikonin were analyzed using flow cytometry. Shikonin-treated MM cells were sent for Metabolomics by RNA sequencing and LC-MS/MS metabolomics. The involved signaling pathways were validated using western blotting.Results\n\nThe coMMpass cohort analysis has indicated that high PKM2 expression was related to poor survival of MM cells. Shikonin induced dose-dependently apoptosis, elevated ROS levels, and cell cycle arrest in G1 phase in MM cells. Multi-omics analysis revealed 2043 differentially expressed genes and 93 altered metabolites in shikonin-treated MM cells. Shikonin downregulated the expression of PKM2 and therefore reduced pyruvate/AMP levels and impaired glycolysis. Integrated omics analysis identified AMPK signaling as the common enriched pathway. WB confirmed that shikonin suppressed the expression of PKM2 and GLUT4 and activated the expression of P-AMPK/PGC1α, indicating the dysregulation of the PKM2-AMPK-PGC1α axis.Conclusion\n\nShikonin exerts anti-tumor effects in MM cells by inhibiting PKM2 expression, disrupting glycolytic flux, activating AMPK/PGC1α-mediated metabolic stress, and triggering the apoptosis process. Inhibition of PKM2 with shikonin is a promising metabolic intervention strategy for MM treatment.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Hematology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.",
    "Tianjin Key Laboratory of Bone Marrow Failure and Malignant Hemopoietic Clone Control, Tianjin, China.",
    "Tianjin Institute of Hematology, Tianjin, China.",
    "College of Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Fengping Peng"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Yu Gao",
      "orcid": "0009-0008-9221-7421"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Ziqi Zhang",
      "orcid": "0009-0000-5926-8800"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Ling Deng"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Honglei Liu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Xiaowei Liang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Chunyan Liu",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8965-9650"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Rong Fu",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9928-9224"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1hhff4v6jtctn.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1002/jcla.70384",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13684100",
  "id": "1hhff4v6jtctn",
  "issns": [
    "0887-8013",
    "1098-2825"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42902814",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2720|Multiple Myeloma Research and Treatments"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223131433",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13684100?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13684100",
  "pmid": "42902814",
  "published": "2026-10-20",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1hhff4v6jtctn.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:53Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42902814",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42902814"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2720|Multiple Myeloma Research and Treatments",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Shikonin Promotes Apoptosis in Multiple Myeloma Cells Through the PKM2-AMPK-PGC1α Metabolic Axis.",
  "title_text": "Shikonin Promotes Apoptosis in Multiple Myeloma Cells Through the PKM2-AMPK-PGC1α Metabolic Axis.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:53Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1hhff4v6jtctn",
  "venue": "Journal of clinical laboratory analysis",
  "versions": []
}