PATZ1 and neoplasm: Since, we did not find upregulation of miR-29b expression in human thyroid samples in which PATZ1 was downregulated (data not shown) it is possible that, similarly to what occurs for other tumour suppressor genes silenced by oncogenic RAS50, 51, the Ras-directed downregulation of PATZ1 proceeds in two steps: PATZ1 may be first downregulated by miR-29b in a Ras-driven reversible step.