• CBX3 is highly expressed in melanoma and correlates with poor prognosis, suggesting its potential as a prognostic biomarker.
• CBX3 promotes melanoma cell proliferation and migration both in vitro and in vivo, highlighting its oncogenic role.
• Mechanistically, CBX3 accelerates the G1/S transition by downregulating p21 and upregulating CDK6, revealing a novel regulatory pathway.
• CBX3 modulates the immune microenvironment, indicating its potential impact on immunotherapy response and as a therapeutic target.