Abstract
BACKGROUND: Chromobox protein homolog (CBX) family members play important roles in the progression and prognosis of many cancers. However, their functional role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains largely unknown. METHODS: In this study, we analyzed the expression and functions of CBX family members using The Cancer Genome Atlas data. Most CBX family members were found to be differentially expressed in various tumors, including HNSCC, compared to normal tissues. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that CBX3 expression is an independent prognostic factor for HNSCC patients. A nomogram based on CBX3 expression was constructed for use as a diagnostic indicator for HNSCC patients. We also used qPCR to validate the expression of CBX3. RESULTS: Gene set enrichment analysis suggested that CBX3 participates in ataxia-telangiectasia mutated and Rad3-related protein kinase (ATR) activation and tumor progression. Analysis of immune infiltration indicated that CBX3 expression is negatively correlated with mast cells, DCs, immature DCs, and neutrophils. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that high CBX3 expression predicts poor prognosis in HNSCC and that CBX3 may act as an oncoprotein by activating ATR and affecting immune infiltration.