Additionally, the up-regulation of HMGA2 and IL6R expression, which also directly contributes to BC stemness properties [53–55], and the higher expression levels of the transcription factor C/EBPδ, which acts upstream of IL-6 signalling through activation of IL6R [56], are further indication that both bone tropism and stemness traits were increased in miR-662-expressing BC cells in comparison with control cells (Fig. 6a and Supplementary Fig. S16). Here, CEBPD is linked to breast cancer.