Long non-coding RNA PURPL in cancer and cellular regulation: Mechanistic insights and therapeutic potential

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) constitute a large fraction of the mammalian transcriptome and are increasingly recognized as critical regulators of gene expression and cellular homeostasis. Dysregulation of lncRNAs has been strongly implicated in cancer initiation and progression. PURPL (p53-upregulated regulator of p53 levels) is an emerging oncogenic lncRNA that plays a pivotal role in modulating multiple cancer-related cellular pathways, including the p53 signaling pathway, autophagy, miRNA-mediated gene regulation, genome stability, cellular senescence, and metastasis. Mechanistically, PURPL orchestrates signaling networks and epigenetic regulation via diverse molecular modes, functioning as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA), molecular scaffold, and guide, thereby influencing gene expression and cellular homeostasis. Functional studies reveal that suppression of PURPL enhances chemosensitivity, inhibits tumor cell proliferation and migration, and induces apoptosis across multiple cancer types. This review systematically summarizes the molecular mechanisms underlying PURPL-mediated regulation and highlights its multifaceted roles in cancer biology, thereby providing an integrative view of its functions in tumorigenesis and cellular regulation.