MYB Activates the Hedgehog Signaling Pathway to Repress Natural Killer Cytotoxicity in Cervical Cancer

ABSTRACT Natural killer (NK) cells present in the tumor microenvironment serve as a critical line of defense against various malignancies, including cervical cancer. While MYB is known to drive malignancy progression, its influence on NK cell activity remains poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate the role of MYB in regulating NK cell cytotoxicity and its underlying mechanism in cervical cancer cells. MYB expression in cervical cancer tissues and cells was analyzed using bioinformatics and qRT‐PCR. Cell viability was assessed via CCK‐8 assay, while NK cell‐mediated killing of cervical cancer cells was evaluated through cytotoxicity assays. The expression levels of cytotoxic factors (IFN‐ γ and TNF‐ α ) were measured by ELISA, whereas perforin and granzyme B were detected via immunofluorescence. Apoptosis was analyzed using flow cytometry. To investigate the impact of MYB on the hedgehog signaling pathway, the expression levels of related factors (PTCH1, Gli1, and Gli2) were assessed using qRT‐PCR and Western blot. Bioinformatics and qRT‐PCR analyses revealed MYB overexpression in cervical cancer. Signaling pathway prediction indicated MYB enrichment in cytotoxic signaling pathways. Functional experiments demonstrated that MYB overexpression activated the hedgehog signaling pathway, thereby suppressing NK cell cytotoxicity in cervical cancer. Rescue experiments using the hedgehog signaling inhibitor GANT58 attenuated the suppressive effect of MYB overexpression on NK cytotoxicity. In summary, MYB inhibited NK cell cytotoxicity by activating the hedgehog signaling pathway in cervical cancer, suggesting its potential as a novel diagnostic marker and immunotherapeutic target.