The Effect of Tunicamycin on Interferon-α Production in a Human Lymphoblastoid Cell Line (Namalwa)

Tunicamycin alters the biological properties of human interferon-α (HuIFN-α) produced in its presence by changing the mixture of IFN-α subtypes produced. When IFN mRNA extracted from treated cells was microinjected into oocytes the product was also altered. However, treatment of the oocytes with tunicamycin did not alter the properties of the IFN-α produced.