Interestingly, the expression of miR-142-5p was also found in characteristic Hürthle cells and CLND1 was demonstrated to be the direct target gene of miR-142-5p, suggesting that miR-142-5p may impair the human thyroid epithelial barrier function by downregulating CLDN1 expression to participate in the pathologic changes of HT. The gene discussed is CLDN1; the disease is hematocrit.