Methods of inducing apoptosis in hyperproliferative cells

A method of treating a subject with a hyperproliferative disorder comprising:

• administering a pharmaceutical composition to said subject, said pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one agent selected from the group consisting of:
• a) at least one potassium channel modulatory protein selected from the group consisting of human KChAP protein, a biologically active variant of human KChAP protein, and a biologically active KChAP related protein;
• and
• b) a nucleic acid encoding at least one potassium channel modulatory protein, comprising:
• i) a sequence encoding human KChAP protein, a biologically active variant of human KChAP protein, or a biologically active KChAP related protein, and
• ii) a promoter active in the cancer cell, wherein the promoter is operably linked to the sequence encoding said protein.

A method of inhibiting cell cycling in cancer cells that contain a wild-type p53 protein, comprising:

• contacting the cancer cells with a nucleic acid encoding at least one potassium channel modulatory under conditions permitting uptake of said nucleic acid by the cell, said nucleic acid comprising:
• i) a sequence encoding human KChAP protein and a biologically active variant of KChAP protein;
• and
• ii) a promoter active in the cancer cell, wherein the promoter is operably linked to the sequence encoding said protein.