Inducing caspase activity

Abstract

Embodiments are directed towards methods of inducing caspase activity. The methods include contacting a cell with a treatment compound represented by the following Formula (I): where R1 is selected from hydrogen or an alkyl group having from 1 to about 16 carbon atoms; R2 is selected from a hydroxyl group, a tosylate group, an alkoxy group of the formula OR3 where R3 is selected from an alkyl group having from 1 to about 16 carbon atoms, or an ester group of the formula OCOR4, where R4 is an alkyl group having from 1 to about 16 carbon atoms, and n is from 4 to 46,000, with the proviso that when R1 is hydrogen and R2 is a hydroxy group the treatment compound has a number average molecular weight from 10,100 to 2,000,0000 g/mol.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.