PTN and colorectal carcinoma: In addition, compound 16 upregulated microRNA-384, a short non-coding RNA that is involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, and it downregulated the expression of pleiotrophin, a potent mitogenic cytokine [105], both in CRC cells and tissues, suggesting that the anticancer activity exerted by 16 against CRC cells went through the modulation of the heparin-binding growth factor pleiotrophin (PTN) via microRNA 384 [106].