Chiappinelli et al. found that DNA methyltransferase inhibitors such as 5-azacytidine and 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine trigger an interferon response that includes IFN-β, along with expression of a series of IFN-stimulated genes in four ovarian cancer cell lines and one DKO (DNMT1 and DNMT3b knockout) colon cancer cell line34. This evidence concerns the gene IFNA1 and colonic neoplasm.