Differentiated state, cellular transformation

The ability of interferons (especially type I interferons) to induce an antiviral state is unlikely to be solely dependent upon the enzymatic mechanisms discussed above. Furthermore the 2 -5 A synthetase and eIF-2a kinase systems may play important roles in mediating additional interferon actions. The ability of such systems to stall protein synthesis in cells may play a role in interferon-induced alterations of cellular differentiation or cell cycle progression. They may also be involved in mediating interferon-induced anti-proliferative effects on various transformed cells. 

Inhibition of glycosylation was shown to interfere with certain stages of development, as shown in the previous examples. However, in cultured, human and myeloid leukemia cells, tunicamycin treatment induced differentiation. From this observation, it has been concluded that glycosylation of cellular proteins plays a role in maintaining these cells in a transformed stated"... 

---