In conclusion, the data presented here identified lncRNA‐ATB as an essential determinant of TGF‐β1‐induced EMT and silica‐induced pulmonary fibrosis and ascribed its pro‐fibrotic effect to the regulation of MEKK2 and NOTCH2 signalling pathways via sponging miR‐29b‐2‐5p and miR‐34c‐3p (Figure 7). Here, MAP3K2 is linked to pulmonary fibrosis.