Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel human K+ ion channel, to nucleic acid molecules encoding the same and to vectors comprising said nucleic acid molecules. The invention additionally relates to antibodies specifically directed to the novel K+ ion channel and to pharmaceutical compositions and diagnostic kits containing at least one of the above-mentioned components. Furthermore, the present invention relates to methods of treating a disease caused by malfunction of the polypeptide of the present invention or by the (over)expression of the nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprising administering an inhibitor of said (over)expression or of ion channel function or an inhibitor abolishing said malfunction to a patient in need thereof. Methods of devising drugs for treating or preventing the above-mentioned disease, methods of inhibiting cell proliferation and methods of prognosing cancer are additional embodiments comprised by the present invention.

Abstract: Disclosed are compounds of the formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof: wherein R1 is a halogen, or an oxygen linked leaving group including an aromatic ether, an alkyl sulfonate, an aryl sulfonate, an alkyl phosphonate, an aryl phosphonate, an alkyl phosphate or aryl phosphate; R2 is COOR5, C(═O)NH(CHR5)m—COOR5, NH(CHR5)mCON(R5)R6, C(═O)N(R5)R6 or NH(CHR5)mOH; R3 is H or alkyl; R4 is H, sybstituted or unsubstituted aryl, heteroaryl or alkyl; R5 and R6 are independently H, lower alkyl, aryl, hydroxy alkyl, amino alkyl, heteroaryl, lower alkylene-aryl, lower alkylene-heteroaryl or lower cycloalkyl; and m=0-6; pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds; and a method for inhibiting interleukin-1&bgr; protease activity in a mammal utilizing the compounds and compositions.