In addition to these direct effects, miRNAs may also indirectly affect PD-L1 expression by influencing the expression of other PD-L1 regulators, such as by repressing PTEN (a tumor-suppressor gene that negatively regulates PI3K-AKT signaling) to increase PD-L1 expression, or by inhibiting PD-L1 expression via its direct action on the STAT3 transcription factor (123, 124). Here, CD274 is linked to neoplasm.