NMB mRNA was significantly increased in cervical cancer tissues as compared to that in cervix epithelium in the TCGA database (https://portal.gdc.com) (Fig. 2d), and its protein level was also increased in cervical cancer tissues, while not significantly elevated in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical carcinoma in situ (CIS) tissues (Fig. 2e, f). This evidence concerns the gene NMB and cervical squamous intraepithelial neoplasia.