CD44 and neoplasm: Importantly, restoration of miR-654-3p upregulated the expression of the metastasis-suppressor genes BRMS1, MTSS1, KISS1 and NME1, and downregulated the expression of several genes related to tumor progression and metastasis, including MTA1, MTA2, SERPINE1, SSTR2 and CD44. Altogether, these data suggest that restoration of miR-654-3p could contribute to a more differentiated, less aggressive phenotype in PTC.