Expression and Significance of PKM1 in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia

To investigate the expression level of pyruvate kinase M1 (PKM1) in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) as well as its clinical significance.

A case-control study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Haematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China, from January 2013 to 2023.

The expression levels of PKM1 and pyruvate kinase m2 (PKM2) in the bone marrow of 65 AML patients (excluding M3) and 31 healthy volunteers were determined using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), a method that measures fluorescence in real-time. The associations between PKM1, PKM2 expressions, clinical parameters, and the survival and prognosis of AML patients were analysed.

AML patients showed higher PKM1 expression compared to controls. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) was 0.65 (p = 0.017). PKM1 expression was correlated with peripheral blood leukocyte count (r = -0.276, p = 0.026), CCAAT enhancer-binding protein alpha CEBPA mutation (r = -0.306, p = 0.014), and chemotherapy-induced response (r = -0.292, p = 0.018). Patients with high PKM1 expression had a lower remission rate (p = 0.019) and long-term survival rate (p = 0.034) than those with low PKM1 expression. Patients with AML showed a rise in PKM2 levels; however, the variation was not statistically significant (p >0.05).

PKM1 expression is upregulated in AML and patients with high PKM1 expression have a lower survival rate.

PKM1, Acute myeloid leukaemia, Clinical prognosis.