USP18 and neoplasm: Thus, given the generally detrimental effect that prolonged IFN signaling would have on a cell, and the negative consequences UBP43 deficiency has in some tissues, it would seem that dysregulation of UBP43 as reported here would have greater relevance in the setting of oncogenesis and tumor maintenance, as transformed cells are characteristically resistant to at least some of the negative properties of IFN, such as antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects.