Furthermore, miR-33a-5p expression and TGFBRI, pSMAD3 and ZEB1 protein expression were further examined by RT-PCR and western blot analysis, respectively, in 4 random bone metastatic PCa tissues with gains (T1-T4) and 4 random non-bone metastatic PCa tissues without gains (T5-T8). Here, ZEB1 is linked to posterior cortical atrophy.