A compound of the formula R.sup.1 --A.sup.2 --A.sup.1 --Asp-p-nitroanilide I wherein: A.sup.1 is a residue of any of the naturally occurring .alpha.-amino acids or a homolog, analog or derivative of a natural .alpha.-amino acid; A.sup.2 is a residue of a lipophilic .alpha.-amino acid; R.sup.1 is alkylcarbonyl, phenalkylcarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, phenalkoxycarbonyl, alkylaminocarbonyl, phenalkylaminocarbcnyl or R.sup.2 --A.sup.3 wherein A.sup.3 is a residue of a lipophilic .alpha.-amino acid; and R.sup.2 is alkylcarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl or phenylalkoxycarbonyl, and a method of detecting inhibitors of interleukin 1.beta. converting enzyme (ICE) comprising evaluating a test compound's capacity to inhibit the ICE-induced hydrolysis of a compound of the formula I. The greater the ability of a test compound to inhibit such hydrolysis, the greater its expected activity in treating inflammation as well as diseases whose pathogenesis is induced or sustained by interleukin-1.beta.. Also disclosed is the following intermediate, useful for synthesizing the compounds of formula I: ##STR1##
该化合物的结构式为R.sup.1 --A.sup.2 --A.sup.1 --Asp-p-nitroanilide I,其中:A.sup.1是任何自然发生的
α-氨基酸的残基或自然
α-氨基酸的同源物、类似物或衍
生物;A.sup.2是脂肪亲和性
α-氨基酸的残基;R.sup.1是烷基羰基、苯基烷基羰基、烷氧羰基、苯基烷氧羰基、烷基
氨基羰基、苯基烷基
氨基羰基或R.sup.2--A.sup.3,其中A.sup.3是脂肪亲和性
α-氨基酸的残基;R.sup.2是烷基羰基、烷氧羰基或苯基烷氧羰基。还公开了以下中间体,用于合成式I的化合物:##STR1## 一种检测白细胞介素1β
转化酶(ICE)
抑制剂的方法,包括评估测试化合物抑制式I化合物的ICE诱导
水解能力。测试化合物抑制这种
水解的能力越强,其在治疗炎症以及由白细胞介素1β引起或维持病理发生的疾病中的预期活性就越大。