The role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in the regulation of long noncoding RNAs in cancer

Cancer cells must overcome a variety of external and internal stresses to survive and proliferate. These unfavorable conditions include the accumulation of mutations, nutrient deficiency, oxidative stress, and hypoxia. These stresses can cause aggregation of misfolded proteins inside the endoplasmic reticulum. Under these conditions, the cell undergoes endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER‐stress), and consequently initiates the unfolded protein response (UPR). Activation of the UPR triggers transcription factors and regulatory factors, including long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which control the gene expression profile to maintain cellular stability and hemostasis. Recent investigations have shown that cancer cells can ensure their survival under adverse conditions by the UPR affecting the expression of lncRNAs. Therefore, understanding the relationship between lncRNA expression and ER stress could open new avenues, and suggest potential therapies to treat various types of cancer. Cancer cells must overcome a variety of external and internal stresses to survive. Unfavorable conditions cause the aggregation of misfolded proteins and initiate the unfolded protein response (UPR). Non‐coding RNAs can regulate UPR during unfavorable conditions in cancer cells. Cancer cells can survive under adverse conditions by interactions between the UPR and the expression of ncRNAs. The ncRNA expression and ER stress relationship could be potential therapies for cancers.