Biochemical assays demonstrated that piR-1742 precisely binds to hnRNPU, facilitating the formation of the piRNA/hnRNPU/USP8 complex and the deubiquitination of MUC12, which consequently mediates the ability of RCC cells to invade and metastasize. The gene discussed is HNRNPU; the disease is renal cell adenocarcinoma.