ES2425298A2 - Pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of metastasis (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of metastasis. The present invention relates to the use of a compound capable of binding to a mannoprotein and blocking the binding of said mannoprotein to a receptor of endothelial cells, in the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a disease associated with adhesion unwanted cell also, the present invention also contemplates methods directed to identify a potentially useful compound for the prevention and/or treatment of a disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion, to predict the probability of a patient suffering from cancer to metastasize and to design a therapy personalized to a patient suffering from cancer. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

TO METASTASIS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the use of an antifungal agent or a compound capable of binding to a mannoprotein and blocking the binding of said mannoprotein to a receptor of endothelial cells, in the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion. Likewise, the present invention also contemplates methods aimed at identifying a compound potentially useful for the prevention and / or treatment of a disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion, to predict the probability of a patient suffering from cancer to metastasize and to design a therapy. personalized to a patient suffering from cancer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In fungi, glycoproteins are generally referred to as mannoproteins because the main carbohydrate in them is mannose, although other sugars and phosphorus can also be found forming phosphodiester bonds. In view of the differences in the structure of the mannoproteins, two different serotypes can be distinguished: A and B. Mannoproteins are distributed throughout the wall, particularly accumulating on the surface of the wall and in the vicinity of the plasma membrane. Mannoproteins play an important role in the adhesion of yeasts to endothelial cells (Orozco et al. 41 1141).

Some mannoproteins, located in the wall of the germ tubes and yeasts, are secreted into the environment. The presence of hands in the host's bloodstream is rapidly eliminated due to the presence of mannose receptors in various cell types (Bijsterbosch et al., 1996; Eur J Biochem, 237: 344-349; Stahl & Ezekowitz, 1998; Current Opin Immunol. 10: 50-55; Apostolopoulos & McKenzie, 2001; Curr Mol Med, 1: 469-474). In addition to having antigenic functions, located in the sugar residues of the epitope recognized by the antibodies, some have been shown to have immunosuppressive (Nelson et al., 1991; Clin Microbiol Rev, 4: 1-19) and lymphoproliferative (Podzorski et al., 1990; J Immunol., 144: 707-716). Through the use of specific N-glycosylation inhibitors such as tunicamycin, it has been seen not only the lack of recognition of these antigenic mannoproteins by the antibodies, but also the inhibition of the formation of new yolks, stopping cell division.

Mannan represents 15-23% of the dry weight of the wall and 40% of the polysaccharides thereof. It is covalently associated with proteins through N-glycosidic and O-glycosidic bonds. This mannoprotein fraction is the main component of the cell wall matrix in which the β-glucans and chitin microfibrillar skeleton is embedded.

The term "mannan" has also been used to refer to the main immunodominant soluble component present outside the cell wall called the phospho-protein complex or phosphopeptidomannan. This fraction of the cell wall contains homopolymers of D-mannose (as the main component), 3-5% protein and 1-2% phosphate. According to the type of union between sugar and protein can be distinguished:

•

Highly branched and high molecular weight mannose polymers, linked to ﾭ acetylglucosamines with a highly conserved core in both fungi and animal cells, and

•

Short and unbranched mannose oligosaccharides attached to the hydroxyl groups of the serine or threonine amino acids of the peptide via an O-glycosidic bond.

Metastasis (from Greek: goal, beyond; and stasis, arrest) is the cellular mechanism by which the transfer of cells detached from a malignant tumor occurs, from its place of generation to another without direct anatomical connection, where they are reimplanted . Its production involves a complex process integrated by a succession of interdependent stages (Weiss, L. 1985. Principles of metastasis. New York, NY), where tumor cells manage to colonize other organic territories after spreading through internal cavities or the torrent vascular lymphatic and / or blood. Once established as metastases, they parasitize the invaded territory, where they produce various harmful effects from mechanical to endocrine.

The most commonly accepted stages to explain the metastatic process are:

(i) detachment and mobilization of tumor cells; Depending on the location of the primary tumor, the tumor cells have different capacity to detach and leave the tumor focus. Next, the detached cells must reach the blood or lymphatic vessels in order to spread to other distant organs.

(ii) Dissemination of tumor cells; The cells that access the bloodstream, in addition to having to adapt to the different environmental conditions of the blood and the mechanical effects caused by circulatory hemodynamics, have to escape the tumoricidal effect of the immune system.

(iii) Implantation of metastatic cells in distant organs; At this stage of the metastatic process, three consecutive phenomena have been described: the stopping of the circulating tumor cells in the capillary lumen, the extravasation in the surrounding tissue and the proliferation to form the metastasis.

(iv) Clonogenic proliferation and metastasis formation; Once extravasated, the proliferation of metastatic cells is different from that observed in the primary tumor, tumor cells have a self-regulation conditioned by their own growth factors and their oncogenes.

The existence on the cell surface of receptors for extracellular matrix molecules could be of vital importance to ensure the perfect fixation and subsequent proliferation of the tumor cell. The interaction between circulating tumor cells and endothelial cells is one of the processes that determines that the metastasis is organ-specific. Adhesion molecules are involved in the adhesion process between the tumor cell and the vascular endothelium, both by the tumor cell and by the endothelial cell. This fact suggests that the metastatic potential of each tumor cell may be influenced by the type of adhesion molecules that are expressed during the interaction between the tumor cell and the vascular endothelium, hence the identification of those molecules is considered as one of the primary objectives for the treatment and prevention of tumor dissemination.

Although the specific adhesion of tumor cells to the microvascular endothelium is a proven fact, its implication in the development of metastases is still unknown. It has been suggested that cells adhered to the endothelium may be more protected against the attack of circulating cytotoxic cells and, consequently, be more likely to prolong their half-life than by remaining in the bloodstream. Tumor adhesion to the endothelium can also facilitate the cellular motility necessary for its extravasation and contribute to another stage of the metastatic process, the tumor invasion of the parenchyma. It has also been proposed that during the metastatic process, the main value of tumor adhesion to the endothelium corresponds to the transduction of signals from the latter to viable tumor cells, which would serve as a stimulus for intravascular proliferation at places of detention. In lung, it has been observed that the proliferation of tumor cells that adhere to the endothelium causes the formation of intravascular micrometastases without the need for extravasation, which increase in size by breaking the vascular wall. Various morphological studies of tumor adhesion to the endothelium have indicated that adhesion takes place preferentially in the junction zone between neighboring endothelial cells. It has been observed that this process is continued with an endothelial retraction and recanalization of the blood vessel around the tumor cells. Endothelial retraction involves exposure of the basement membrane and promotes tumor adhesion to the extracellular matrix. A simultaneous stimulation of the synthesis and secretion of proteolytic enzymes by endothelial cells could, in turn, favor this process. In this sense, it has been shown that the endothelium damaged by the action of oxygen free radicals, releases active collagenases capable of degenerating the basement membrane and facilitating tumor invasion. Finally, in relation to the functional implications of tumor adhesion to the endothelium, the cytotoxic role of endothelial cells on tumor cells should be noted. This cytotoxicity requires direct contact between the tumor cells and the endothelium.

The prevention and therapeutic control of metastasis is very difficult. The main reason for medical failure lies in the absence of accurate information about its pathogenesis, which entails a lack of specific resources for its prophylaxis or inhibition.

There is therefore a need to identify the mechanisms of action and the molecules involved in the metastatic process of tumor cells that facilitate its prognosis, as well as therapeutic targets that facilitate their treatment and prevention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the invention relates to the use of an antifungal agent in the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion.

In a second aspect, the invention relates to the use of a compound capable of binding to a mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, and blocking the binding of said mannoprotein, or functionally equivalent variant thereof, to a endothelial cell receptor, in the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention and / or treatment of a disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion.

In a third aspect, the invention relates to a method for identifying a compound potentially useful for the prevention and / or treatment of a disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion, which comprises contacting a receptor of endothelial cells and a mannoprotein. , or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, and selecting a compound that blocks the binding of said mannoprotein, or functionally equivalent variant thereof, to said endothelial cell receptor.

In a fourth aspect, the invention relates to the use of a kit comprising a compound capable of binding to a mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, and blocking the binding of said mannoprotein, or functionally equivalent variant of the same, to a receptor of endothelial cells, for the prevention and / or treatment of a disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion.

In a fifth aspect, the invention relates to an in vitro method for predicting the probability of a patient suffering from cancer to undergo metastasis, which comprises the detection in a sample of said patient of a yeast or of a mannoprotein, or a functionally variant equivalent thereof, where if said yeast or mannoprotein, or functionally equivalent variant thereof, is detected, then said patient has a high probability of metastasizing.

In a sixth aspect, the invention relates to an in vitro method for designing a personalized therapy for a patient suffering from cancer comprising the detection in a sample of said patient of a yeast or of a mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant of the same, where if said yeast or mannoprotein, or functionally variant thereof, is detected, then the patient is a candidate to receive a treatment based on an antifungal agent or a compound capable of binding to a mannoprotein, or a variant functionally equivalent thereof, and blocking the binding of said mannoprotein, or functionally equivalent variant thereof, to a receptor of endothelial cells.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 describes the effect of the morphological state of different strains of C. albicans on the relative adhesion of MB16 cells to ESH (hepatic sinusoidal endothelium): Blastoconidia (□) and germ tube (■). (*) Statistically significant differences in relation to control.

Figure 2 describes the effect of the viability of the C. albicans blastoconidia on the relative adhesion of MB16 cells to ESH. (A) Live blastoconidia, (B) dead blastoconidia by heat treatment, (C) dead blastoconidia by treatment with 20 mM metaperiodate and (D) dead blastoconidia by treatment with 50 mM metaperiodate. (*) Statistically significant differences in relation to control.

Figure 3 describes the results of flow cytometry where cell complexity (SSC) with size (FSC), and fluorescence (FL1) with cell size (FSC) are faced. R1: living population. R2: dead with 20 mM metaperiodate. R3: dead with 50 mM metaperiodate.

Figure 4 shows the carbohydrate / protein ratio in blastoconidia and germ tubes of different strains of C. albicans. Blastoconidia (□) and germ tube (■). (*) Statistically significant differences.

Figure 5 describes the effect of different concentrations of live and dead C. albicans yeasts by oxidation with 20 and 50 mM metaperiodate on the production of IL-18 by ESH. (*) Significant differences with respect to control.

Figure 6 shows the photographs of the ESH cells after being incubated with commercial mannan (A), crude extract (B), protein fraction (C) and mannoprotein fraction (D).

Figure 7 describes the relative adhesion of MB16 cells to ESH incubated with commercial mannan and the purified C. albicans (FMN) mannoprotein fraction. (*) Significant differences with respect to control.

Figure 8 describes the relative adhesion of MB16 cells to ESH incubated with the protein fraction, the crude extract and the mannoprotein fraction (□). Release of TNF-α incubated with the protein fraction, the crude extract and the mannoprotein fraction (■). (*) Significant differences with respect to control.

Figure 9 shows the increase in tumor adhesion induced by incubation of mouse ESH with C. albicans or its mannoproteins in basal medium and using an antibody that blocks the mannose receptor at two different concentrations. Adhesion is expressed in relative units. (*) Significant differences with respect to control.

Figure 10 shows the increase in IL-18 production induced by the incubation of ESH with C. albicans or its mannoproteins in basal medium and using an antibody that blocks the mannose receptor. (*) Significant differences with respect to control. (**) Significant reduction with respect to the situation without blocking.

Figure 11 shows a two-dimensional electrophoresis of the crude extract of C. albicans visualized by silver staining.

Figure 12 shows a two-dimensional electrophoresis of the protein fraction of

C. albicans visualized by silver staining.

Figure 13 shows a two-dimensional electrophoresis of the manoproteic fraction of C. albicans visualized by silver staining.

Figure 14 describes a two-dimensional Western blot of the crude extract of C. albicans revealed by chemiluminescence using With A-HRP.

Figure 15 shows a 1D electrophoresis of the 5 mannoprotein subfractions obtained by preparative electrophoresis from the crude extract stained with silver (A). Detection with A-HRP and developing with chemiluminescence of the 5 subfractions after performing affinity chromatography from those obtained by preparative electrophoresis (B). F1: 0 -30 kDa, F2: 30 -45 kDa, F3: 45 -66 kDa, F4: 66 -115 kDa, F5:> 115 kDa.

Figure 16 describes the Carbohydrate / Protein ratio of each of the mannoprotein subfractions obtained. FMN1: 0 -30 kDa, FMN2: 30 -45 kDa, FMN3: 45 -66 kDa, FMN4: 66 -115 kDa, FMN5:> 115 kDa.

Figure 17 shows the relative adhesion of B16 melanoma cells to the ESH incubated with the separated subfractions according to their molecular weight. FMN1: 0 -30 kDa, FMN2: 30 - 45 kDa, FMN3: 45 -66 kDa, FMN4: 66 -115 kDa, FMN5:> 115 kDa. (*) Significant differences with respect to the increase induced by commercial mannan.

Figure 18 shows a 2D electrophoresis of the FMN stained with Coomassie Blue with the numbered sequenced points.

Figure 19 shows a 1D electrophoresis of the subfractions obtained by preparative isoelectric focusing from the crude extract stained with silver (A). Detection with A-HRP and developing with chemiluminescence of the subfractions after performing affinity chromatography (B). F1: <4.25, F2: 4.25-5, F3: 5-5.6, F4:> 5.6.

Figure 20 shows the relative adhesion of B16 melanoma cells to the ESH incubated with the mannoprotein subfractions separated according to their isoelectric point. FMN1: <4.25, FMN2: 4.25-5, FMN3: 5 - 5.6, FMN4:> 5.6. (*) Significant differences with respect to commercial mannan.

Figure 21 shows a visual reproduction of the fractionation of C. albicans mannoproteins performed according to molecular weight and isoelectric point.

Figure 22 shows a two-dimensional electrophoresis of the mannoproteins of the C. albicans strains UPV1413 (upper), NCPF3153 (central) and UPV1360 (lower) stained by Coomassie blue. The protein disulphide isomerase (A), the basic subunit of enolase (B) and aminopeptidase (C) are marked.

Figure 23 shows the proliferation of tumor cells in control medium, supplemented with fetal bovine serum (SBF) and with the mannoprotein fraction (FMN).

Figure 24 shows the proliferation of tumor cells after 48 h of incubation in control medium, supplemented with fetal bovine serum (SBF) and with the mannoprotein fraction FMN3 (45-66 kDa).

Figure 25 shows the relative adhesion of B16 melanoma cells to ESH treated with FMN by blocking and without blocking the ESH IL-1β receptor with IL-Ra (□). Release of TNF- by the ESH treated with the FMN blocking and without blocking the IL-1β receptor of the ESH with IL-Ra (■).

Figure 26 shows a two-dimensional Western blot of the C. albicans UPV1413 (A) mannoproteins evaluated against the anti-mouse neutralizing antibody IL-1β revealed by chemiluminescence.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The inventors of the present invention have discovered that inflammation originated in response to the binding of Candida albicans to endothelial receptors, not only has the effect of attracting phagocytes to the infected area to eliminate the invader, but also in cancer patients, Surprisingly, it directly increases the risk of adhesion of tumor cells to that same area, which is the beginning of a metastatic process. Also, the inventors have discovered that said ability to

C. albicans of directly increasing the risk of metastasis is due to the mannoproteins present in the mannoprotein fraction of the yeast, which interact with the endothelial cell receptors, such as proinflammatory cytokine receptors, such as the receptor of IL-1, causing not only the inflammatory response to the infection, but also the adhesion of the tumor cells to the endothelium causing the metastatic process of the tumor.

Therefore, in one aspect, the present invention relates to the use of an antifungal agent in the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion.

In the context of the present invention, a "disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion" includes the progression and metastasis of cancer and tumors. Illustrative, non-limiting examples of diseases associated with unwanted cell adhesion and that can be treated in accordance with the teachings of the present invention include cancer, metastasis, restenosis, diseases that elicit a cellular immune response and inflammatory diseases.

Therefore, in a particular embodiment, the disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion is a tumor process, a metastatic process, an inflammatory process, restenosis or a disease that causes a cellular immune response.

In the answer of the present invention, "tumor process" means those diseases characterized by the development of a tumor, such as cancer. Examples of tumors that can be treated with the pharmaceutical composition described in the present invention include, but are not limited to, tumors of the lung, prostate, head and neck, testis, brain, skin, colon, rectum, esophagus, trachea, pancreas, liver, breast, ovary, lymphatic system, leukemia, cervical, melanoma, kidney, bladder, thyroid, bone and stomach.

In the context of the present invention, the term "metastatic process" and "metastasis" are considered analogous and are used interchangeably. Metastasis means the process by which cancer cells spread to organs other than where the primary tumor originated through lymphatic channels and blood vessels. The person skilled in the art will warn that the pharmaceutical composition of the invention can be used in the inhibition of any type of metastasis formed from practically any type of tumor.

The invention contemplates the use of antifungal agents in the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of metastases in any organ of the body, such as head and neck (face, eye, mouth, tongue, teeth, nose, ears, leather scalp, larynx, pharynx, salivary glands, meninges, brain, thyroid and parathyroid gland), back and spine (vertebrae and spinal cord), thorax (mammary glands, ribs, lungs, heart, mediastinum, esophagus and diaphragm), abdomen ( peritoneum, stomach, duodenum, intestine, colon, liver, kidney, adrenal gland, appendix and pancreas), pelvis (sacrum, coccyx, ovaries, fallopian tube, uterus, vagina, vulva, clitoris, perineum, urinary bladder, testicles, rectum and penis) and extremities (muscle, bone, nerves, hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee or ankle).

On the other hand, tumors from which metastasis originates include, but are not limited to, tumors of the lung, prostate, head and neck, testis, brain, skin, colon, rectum, esophagus , trachea, pancreas, liver, breast, ovarian, lymphatic system, leukemia, cervical, melanoma, kidney, bladder, thyroid, bone and stomach. In a preferred embodiment, the metastatic process originates from a liver tumor.

In the context of the present invention, "an inflammatory process" is understood

or "inflammatory disease" to that disease that causes inflammation as a result of cell proliferation associated with proliferative dysfunction, e.g., proliferative glomerulonephritis, lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, temporal arthritis, thromboangitis, mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, etc. In a particular embodiment, the inflammatory disease or inflammatory process is an inflammatory process mediated by cytokines.

In the context of the present invention, "restenosis" is understood as a disease that occurs with excessive proliferation and migration of cells as a result of the release of growth factors caused by mechanical damage of the endothelial cells that constitute the coronary arteries .

In the context of the present invention, "a disease that elicits a cellular immune response" is understood as a disease that elicits an adaptive immune response mediated by T lymphocytes that acts as a defense mechanism against intracellular microorganisms, eg, viruses, some bacteria and fungi, capable of surviving and proliferating inside phagocytes and other host cells, a place to which circulating antibodies do not have access, etc. The defense against this type of infections depends on cellular immunity, which induces the destruction of the microorganism resident in phagocytes or infected cells.

The antifungal or antifungal agent used in the preparation of the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention encompasses any substance capable of producing such an alteration of the structures of a fungal cell that can inhibit its development, altering its viability or survivability, either directly

or indirectly.

Antifungal or antifungal agents include a wide variety of substances with different chemical structures and mechanisms of action. The classification is carried out according to conventional criteria that meet its structure, its origin (if produced by living organisms or derivatives of chemical synthesis), its spectrum of action (broad or restricted) or its site of action.

Examples of antifungals include, but are not limited to, (i) polyenes, such as nystatin, natamycin and amphotericin B, (ii) azoles, such as imidazoles (miconazole, clotrimazole), triazoles (fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole) and second generation triazoles (voriconazole, ravuconazole, posaconazole), (iii) allylamines, such as Terbinafine and naphthifine, (iv) lipopeptides, such as papulacandins, glycosylated triterpenes and echinocandins (caspofungin, anidulofungin, micafungin) and (v) fluo pyrimidines, flu. Other antifungals include, for example, potassium iodide, cyclopyrox, tolnaphtate and griseofulvin. In a particular embodiment, the antifungal agent is selected from a polyene, an azol, an allylamine, a lipopopeptide and a fluorinated pyrimidine.

In another aspect, the invention relates to the use of a compound capable of binding to a mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, and blocking the binding of said mannoprotein, or functionally equivalent variant thereof, to a receptor of endothelial cells, in the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention and / or treatment of a disease associated with cell adhesion.

In the present invention, "mannoprotein" is understood as a glycoprotein in which the main carbohydrate in them is mannose. Mannoproteins are found mainly as part of the fungal and yeast cell wall, where they play an important role in the adhesion of yeasts to endothelial and endothelial cells. Thus, if the separation of a crude extract from a yeast, such as C. albicans, is carried out by means of, for example, an affinity chromatography, two fractions can be obtained: a mannoprotein fraction (FMN) and a protein fraction (FP). As the person skilled in the art understands, FP is one that does not contain or contains a small amount of mannoproteins.

Thus, in a particular embodiment, the mannoprotein is derived from the mannoprotein fraction of a yeast.

Most yeasts are opportunistic pathogens that can cause infections compromising the immune system of affected people. Examples of yeasts include, without limitation, yeasts of the genus Cryptococcus, such as C. neoformans, or yeasts of the genus Candida, such as C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. stellatoidea, C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, C. guilliermondii, C. viswanathii,

C. lusitaniae Candida famata, C. holmii, C. kefyr, C. pelliculosa, C. rugosa, C. utilis, C. zeylanoides, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, R. minuta, R. glutinis, R. mucilaginosa and Trichosporon cutaneum, yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, etc.

In another particular embodiment, the mannoprotein is derived from the mannoprotein fraction of a yeast, preferably from a yeast of the genus Candida, more preferably, C. albicans.

As is known by the person skilled in the art, the FMN of a yeast (or other organism) can be obtained by any of the methods described in the state of the art for the separation of proteins such as, but not limited to, chromatography (for example, ion exchange, affinity (in Con-A Sepharosa column activated with cyanogen bromide), hydrophobic interaction, gel filtration, HPLC), electrophoretic methods (preparative isoelectroenfoque, preparative electrophoresis in polyacrylamide-SDS gels (mono and bidemsionales), preparative isoelectroenfoque in the Rotofor), differential solubility (precipitation with ammonium sulfate), preparative ultracentrifugation in sucrose gradient. In case it is necessary to concentrate the protein or eliminate salts and ions that may be harmful, known techniques are used, such as lyophilization or ultrafiltration.

In the present invention, the mannoproteins are separated by monodimensional electrophoresis, which allows them to be separated according to their molecular weight (Mw). Thus, using the techniques mentioned here, the analysis of the FMN composition of

C. albicans has resulted in 5 subfractions of different molecular weight, FMN1 (0-30 kDa), FMN2 (30-45 kDa), FMN3 (45-66 kDa), FMN4 (66-115 kDa) and FMN5 (> 115 kDa). In a particular embodiment, the mannoprotein fraction comprises at least one mannoprotein having a molecular weight of between 30 and 45 kDa or between 45 and 66 kDa.

Thus, in a particular embodiment, the mannoprotein having a molecular weight of between 45 and 66 kDa is a mannoprotein selected from disulfide isomerase, Zinc protein, aminopeptidase Y, ketoacid-mitochondrial reductoisomerase, elongation factor Tu, elongation factor of the translation Tu, actin, enolase, alcohol dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, fructose bisphosphate aldolase, 3-phosphoglycerate kinase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, GDP-mannose pyrophosphorylase, glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase and ubiquinol cit-c reductase.

Once the FMN is separated in the corresponding subfractions, the identification of mannoproteins that comprise a subfraction can be carried out, for example, by a two-dimensional electrophoresis that allows proteins to be separated not only based on their molecular weight but also according to their point isoelectric (pI), to obtain a peptide footprint.

Therefore, in a particular embodiment, the mannoprotein fraction comprises at least one mannoprotein having a molecular weight between 45 and 66 kDa, and an isoelectric point between 5 and 5.6.

In another even more particular embodiment, the mannoprotein having a molecular weight of between 45 and 66 kDa, and an isoelectric point between 5 and 5.6 comprises, at least, a mannoprotein selected from aminopeptidase Y, mitochondrial keto acid reductoisomerase, Elongation Tu, translation elongation factor Tu, actin, enolase, ubiquinol cit-c reductase and alcohol dehydrogenase.

The present invention is based on the discovery of the ability of C. albicans

or of its mannoproteins to induce adhesion of tumor cells to endothelial cells, thereby promoting tumor metastasis. Therefore, the present invention relates to the use of a compound capable of binding to a mannoprotein and of blocking the binding of said mannoprotein to a receptor of endothelial cells in the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for prevention and / or treatment. of a disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion.

In the context of the present invention, "a compound capable of binding to a mannoprotein and of blocking the binding of said mannoprotein to a receptor of endothelial cells" is understood as a compound that specifically recognizes a mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, and binds to it covalently thereby blocking the binding of said mannoprotein, or functionally equivalent variant thereof, to a receptor of endothelial cells, thereby inhibiting cell adhesion of tumor cells to endothelial cells

Examples of compounds capable of specifically recognizing a mannoprotein and covalently binding to it are, for example, antibodies, such as those described in patent application WO03 / 089607. Therefore, in a particular embodiment, the compound capable of binding to a mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, and blocking its binding to a receptor of the endothelial is an antibody.

The term "antibody" should be interpreted in a broad sense and includes multispecific, polyclonal, monoclonal and Fab fragments thereof, F (ab ') 2, provided that they can specifically bind to a mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant of the same, and blocking the binding of said mannoprotein, or functionally equivalent variant thereof, to a receptor of endothelial cells, thereby achieving inhibition of cell adhesion of tumor cells to endothelial cells. Examples of antibodies that can be used in the context of the present are, for example and not limited to, polyclonal antibodies, monoclonal antibodies, recombinant antibodies, chimeric antibodies, humanized antibodies, fully human antibodies, etc.

Polyclonal antibodies are originally heterogeneous mixtures of antibody molecules produced in the serum of animals that have been immunized with an antigen. They also include monospecific polyclonal antibodies obtained from heterogeneous mixtures, for example, by means of column chromatography with peptides of an individual epitope of the antigen of interest.

A monoclonal antibody is a homogeneous population of antibodies specific for an individual epitope of the antigen. These monoclonal antibodies can be prepared by conventional techniques that have already been described, for example, in Köhler and Milstein [Nature, 1975; 256: 495-497] or Harlow and Lane ["Using Antibodies. A Laboratory Manual ”by E. Harlow and D. Lane, Editor: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, New York; 1998 (ISBN 9780879695439)].

A chimeric antibody is a monoclonal antibody constructed by cloning or recombination of antibodies from different animal species. In a typical but non-limiting configuration of the invention, the chimeric antibody includes a part of a monoclonal antibody, generally the variable region (Fv) that includes sites for recognition and binding to the antigen, and the other part corresponding to a human antibody. , generally the part that includes the constant region and the region adjacent to the constant.

A fully human antibody is an antibody or antibodies that have been produced in transgenic animals with a human immune system or by in vitro immunization of human immune cells (including both genetic and traditional immunization with or without adjuvants and pure or impure antigen; or through of any method to expose the antigen to the immune system) or through native / synthetic libraries produced from human immune cells. These antibodies can be obtained and screened from transgenic animals (mice, for example) in which human immunoglobulin genes have been cloned and immunized with the target antigen (the mannoprotein or a functionally equivalent variant thereof). These antibodies can be obtained by screening single-variable variable regions (scFv) or human antigen-binding regions (Fab) presented in phages and subsequently, cloning and grafting in a human antibody or by any other method known by the skilled in the art, to produce and present the libraries generated by cloning the variable regions of both chains and subsequently cloning / mutation thereof to generate antibody libraries.

A humanized antibody is a monoclonal antibody constructed by cloning and grafting the hypervariable complementarity determining regions (CDR) of a murine monoclonal antibody into a human antibody replacing its own hypervariable CDR regions.

The antibody capable of specifically binding to a mannoprotein can be obtained by conventional recombination or genetic engineering techniques, conventional techniques for the production of antibodies, extraction and purification of biological fluids or tissues, or any other conventional technique for obtaining proteins and antibodies, which are widely known to those skilled in the art. Among these techniques can be found, without this being any limitation: immunization techniques in animals, including transgenic animals for human immunoglobulin genes, production of monoclonal antibodies by means of hybridomas, production by means of antibody libraries, which can be native, synthetic, or derived from organisms immunized against the antigen of interest and that could be screened by different presentation methods (phage presentation, ribosome presentation, etc.) and subsequently, by means of genetic engineering techniques, they could be redesigned and expressed in vectors designed to produce recombinant antibodies with different sizes, composition and structure. A review of the main methods for producing and purifying antibodies can be found in, for example:

· “Handbook of Therapeutic Antibodies”, by S. Dübel. Publisher: Wiley-VCH, 2007, Vol: I to III (ISBN 978-3527314539);

· “Antibodies: Volume 1: Production and Purification” by G. Subramanian Ed., Publisher: Springer, 1st Ed, 2004 (ISBN 978-0306482458);

· "Antibodies: Volume 2: Novel Technologies and Therapeutic Use" by G. Subramanian Ed., Publisher: Springer, first edition, 2004 (ISBN 978-0306483158);

· “Molecular Cloning: a Laboratory Manual”, by J. Sambrook and D.W. Russel Eds., Editor: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, third edition, 2001 (ISBN 9780879695774).

In the present invention, "functionally equivalent variant of a mannoprotein" means a protein whose amino acid sequence (i) is substantially homologous to the amino acid sequence of said mannoprotein and (ii) performs the same functions as said mannoprotein. The functional similarity of one protein with another specific one can be determined by interference tests with the expression of the gene encoding the specific protein that, by reducing the expression, would reduce the activity of that protein, and the subsequent recovery of the activity by expression of the sequence of the other protein. These experiments are performed using specific and complementary interference RNA sequences for the specific protein sequence and expression vectors that incorporate the specific sequence of the other protein regulated by an inducible promoter or not.

An assay to find out if a variant of a mannoprotein as defined herein is functionally equivalent to a mannoprotein, and therefore, performs the same function (promoting cell adhesion of tumor cells to epithelial cells), is an assay of tumor adhesion, in this case induced by the variant of a mannoprotein to be tested to find out if it is functionally equivalent to the mannoprotein of which it is variant, where the measure of adhesion is carried out using a method based on The measure of fluorescence. Briefly, said assay comprises marking tumor cells, for example, MB16 melanoma cells, with a fluorescent agent (for example, BCECF-AM) and subsequently contacting incubated endothelial cells with the variant to be tested with the labeled tumor cells. Once the adhesion time has elapsed, the co-cultures are excited with appropriate light to the marker used (in case BCECF-AM is used, the wavelength to be applied is 488 nm) and the fluorescence emitted by the incorporated marker is recorded at tumor cells (for example, by silver scanning). After several washes to remove endothelial cells not adhered to endothelial cells, adhesion medium is added and the fluorescence emitted is read again. In this way, relative tumor adhesion can be measured which, compared to the control, allows a variant to be identified as functionally equivalent if the relative fluorescence data is greater than the data obtained by the control. More details about the test can be found in the material and methods section of the Examples that accompany this description.

An amino acid sequence is substantially homologous to a given amino acid sequence when it has a degree of identity of at least 70%, advantageously of at least 75%, typically at least 80%, preferably of at least 85%, more preferably of at least 90%, even more preferably of at least 95%, 97%, 98% or 99%, with respect to said determined amino acid sequence. The degree of identity between two amino acid sequences can be determined by conventional methods, for example, by standard sequence alignment algorithms known in the state of the art, such as, for example, BLAST [Altschul S.F. et al. Basic local alignment search tool. J Mol Biol. 1990 Oct 5; 215 (3): 403-10].

The person skilled in the art understands that mutations in the nucleotide sequence of a protein that give rise to conservative amino acid substitutions at positions not critical to the functionality of the protein are evolutionarily neutral mutations that do not affect its overall structure or its functionality Such variants fall within the scope of the present invention. Also included within the scope of the invention are those variants that have insertions, deletions or modifications of one or more amino acids with respect to a mannoprotein, and also retain the same functions as said mannoprotein.

Therefore, as used herein, the term "functionally equivalent variant" also includes any fragment of a mannoprotein. The term "fragment" refers to a peptide comprising a portion of a protein. In this case, a functionally equivalent fragment of a mannoprotein is a peptide or protein that comprises a portion of a mannoprotein and the same functions as said mannoprotein. An assay to find out if a fragment of a mannoprotein is functionally equivalent to said mannoprotein has been explained earlier in the present description.

As explained previously, the ability of C. albicans to directly increase the risk of a patient suffering from cancer to metastasize is due to the mannoproteins present in the mannoprotein fraction of the yeast, interact with the receptors of the endothelial cells, causing an increase in the adhesion of tumor cells to endothelial cells.

In the context of the present invention, "endothelial cell receptor" means those receptors of molecules that are found on the surface of endothelial cells and that allow the binding of ligands to cells, thus triggering cascades of signals that activate or deactivate different cellular processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell aggregation, proinflammatory response, etc ...

In a particular embodiment, the endothelial cell receptor is a proinflammatory cytokine receptor. Examples of proinflammatory cytokine receptors include, but are not limited to, the TNF- receptor, the IL-1 receptor, the IL1 receptor, the IL-6 receptor, the IL-8 receptor, etc. In an even more particular embodiment, the proinflammatory cytokine receptor is the 1beta interleukin receptor (IL1-).

As indicated above, the invention relates to the use of a compound capable of binding to a mannoprotein and blocking the binding of said mannoprotein to a receptor of endothelial cells, in the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for prevention and / or treatment of a disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion or a disease caused by an infectious agent.

In a particular embodiment, the disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion is a tumor process, a metastatic process, an inflammatory process, preferably mediated by cytokines, restenosis or a disease that causes a cellular immune response.

In another particular embodiment, the metastatic process originates from liver tumor.

The meaning of these terms, as well as examples thereof, have been previously cited.

In a particular embodiment, the pharmaceutical composition comprises one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients and, additionally, in another particular embodiment, it may comprise an antifungal compound such as those previously cited herein.

For use in medicine, the pharmaceutical composition of the invention may be formulated in the form of prodrug, salt, solvate or clathrate, either in isolation or in combination with additional active ingredients. Preferred excipients for use in the present invention include sugars, starches, celluloses, gums and proteins. The pharmaceutical composition can be formulated in a solid pharmaceutical dosage form (e.g., tablets, capsules, sugar-coated tablets, granules, suppositories, amorphous or crystalline sterile solids that can be reconstructed to provide liquid, etc.), liquid ( for example, solutions, suspensions, emulsions, elixirs, lotions, ointments etc.) or semi-solid (gels, ointments, creams and the like). Examples of pharmaceutically acceptable carriers are known in the art and include phosphate buffered saline solutions, water, emulsions such as oil-in-water emulsions, different types of wetting agents, sterile solutions, etc. Compositions comprising said supports can be formulated by conventional processes known in the prior art.

In another aspect, the invention relates to the use of a kit comprising a compound capable of binding to a mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, and blocking the binding of said mannoprotein, or functionally equivalent variant thereof, to an endothelial cell receptor, for the prevention and / or treatment of a disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion.

In the present invention, a "kit" is understood as a product containing the different active principles or compounds of the invention (ie, a compound capable of binding to a mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, and blocking the binding of said mannoprotein, or functionally equivalent variant thereof, to a receptor of the endothelial cells) forming the packaged composition so as to allow its transport, storage and simultaneous or sequential administration. The kits of the invention can thus contain one or more suspensions, tablets, capsules, inhalers, syringes, patches and the like, which contain the active ingredients of the invention and which can be prepared in a single dose or as multiple doses. The kit may additionally contain a suitable support to resuspend the compositions of the invention such as an aqueous medium, such as saline, Ringer's solution, Ringer's lactate solution, dextrose and sodium chloride, water soluble media, such as alcohol, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol and water insoluble supports such as corn oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, ethyl oleate, isopropyl myristate and benzyl benzoate. Other components that may be present in the kit is a package that allows the formulations of the invention to be kept within certain limits. Suitable materials for preparing such containers include glass, plastic, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate and the like, bottles, vials, paper, sachets and the like.

The kit of the invention may additionally contain instructions for the simultaneous, sequential or separate administration of the different pharmaceutical formulations present in the kit. Therefore, in a particular embodiment, the kit of the invention further comprises instructions for simultaneous, sequential or separate administration of the different components. These instructions can be found in the form of printed material or in the form of electronic support that can store the instructions such that they can be read by a subject, such as electronic storage media (magnetic discs, tapes and the like), optical media (CD- ROM, DVD) and the like. The media may additionally or alternatively contain websites on the Internet by providing such instructions.

All the particular embodiments that define this inventive aspect have been cited, described and explained in previous inventive aspects and, consequently, no further comments are necessary in this regard.

Therefore, in a particular embodiment of the kit of the invention, the mannoprotein is derived from the mannoprotein fraction of a yeast, preferably, from a yeast of the candida genus, more preferably from Candida albicans.

In another particular embodiment, the mannoprotein fraction comprises at least one mannoprotein having a molecular weight of between 30 and 45 kDa or between 45 and 66 kDa.

In another particular embodiment, the mannoprotein having a molecular weight between 45 and 66 kDa molecular weight is a mannoprotein selected from disulfide isomerase, Zinc protein, aminopeptidase Y, ketoacid-mitochondrial reductoisomerase, elongation factor Tu, elongation factor of translation Tu, actin, enolase, alcohol dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, fructose bisphosphate aldolase, 3-phosphoglycerate kinase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, GDP-mannose pyrophosphorylase, glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase and ubiquinol cit-c reductase.

In another particular embodiment, the mannoprotein fraction comprises at least one mannoprotein having a molecular weight between 45 and 66 kDa, and an isoelectric point between 5 and 5.6.

In another particular embodiment, the mannoprotein having a molecular weight of between 45 and 66 kDa, and an isoelectric point between 5 and 5.6 comprises, at least, one mannoprotein selected from aminopeptidase Y, mitochondrial ketoacid-reductoisomerase, factor of Elongation Tu, translation elongation factor Tu, actin, enolase, ubiquinol cit-c reductase and alcohol dehydrogenase.

In another particular embodiment, the endothelial cell receptor is a proinflammatory cytokine receptor, preferably, the 1-beta interleukin receptor (IL1-).

In another particular embodiment, the disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion is a tumor process, a metastatic process, an inflammatory process, preferably mediated by cytokines, restenosis or a disease that causes a cellular immune response.

In another particular embodiment, the metastatic process originates from liver tumor.

In another particular embodiment, the compound capable of binding to a mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, and blocking its binding to a proinflammatory cytokine receptor is an antibody.

The discovery made by the inventors of the present invention, based on the ability of C. albicans or mannoproteins obtained from said yeast to induce adhesion of tumor cells to endothelial cells through interaction with endothelial cell receptors , and thus promote metastasis, can also be used to identify a compound useful in the prevention and / or treatment of disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion, since any compound that blocks such interaction will prevent adhesion and thereby metastasis.

Thus, in another aspect, the invention relates to a method for identifying a compound potentially useful for the prevention and / or treatment of a disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion, which comprises contacting a receptor of endothelial cells and a mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, and selecting a compound that blocks the binding of said mannoprotein, or functionally equivalent variant thereof, to said endothelial cell receptor.

As stated above, all the particular embodiments that define this inventive aspect have been cited, described and explained in previous inventive aspects and, consequently, no further comments are necessary in this regard.

Therefore, in a particular embodiment, the mannoprotein is derived from the mannoprotein fraction of a yeast, preferably, from a yeast of the candida genus, more preferably from Candida albicans.

In another particular embodiment, the mannoprotein fraction comprises at least one mannoprotein having a molecular weight of between 30 and 45 kDa or between 45 and 66 kDa.

In another particular embodiment, the mannoprotein having a molecular weight between 45 and 66 kDa molecular weight is a mannoprotein selected from disulfide isomerase, Zinc protein, aminopeptidase Y, ketoacid-mitochondrial reductoisomerase, elongation factor Tu, elongation factor of translation Tu, actin, enolase, alcohol dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, fructose bisphosphate aldolase, 3-phosphoglycerate kinase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, GDP-mannose pyrophosphorylase, glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase and ubiquinol cit-c reductase.

In another particular embodiment, the mannoprotein fraction comprises at least one mannoprotein having a molecular weight between 45 and 66 kDa, and an isoelectric point between 5 and 5.6.

In another particular embodiment, the mannoprotein having a molecular weight between 45 and 66 kDa, and an isoelectric point between 5 and 5.6 comprises, at least, one mannoprotein selected from aminopeptidase Y, mitochondrial ketoacid-reductoisomerase, factor of Elongation Tu, translation elongation factor Tu, actin, enolase, ubiquinol cit-c reductase and alcohol dehydrogenase.

In another particular embodiment, the endothelial cell receptor is a proinflammatory cytokine receptor, preferably, the 1-beta interleukin receptor (IL1-).

In another particular embodiment, the disease associated with unwanted cell adhesion is a tumor process, a metastatic process, an inflammatory process, preferably mediated by cytokines, restenosis or a disease that causes a cellular immune response.

In another particular embodiment, the metastatic process originates from liver tumor.

In another particular embodiment, the compound capable of binding to a mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, and blocking its binding to a proinflammatory cytokine receptor is an antibody.

In another aspect, the invention relates to an in vitro method for predicting the probability of a patient suffering from cancer to undergo metastasis, which comprises the detection in a sample of said patient of a yeast or of a mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant. thereof, where if said yeast or mannoprotein, or functionally equivalent variant thereof, is detected, then said patient has a high probability of metastasizing.

In another aspect, the invention relates to an in vitro method for designing a personalized therapy for a patient suffering from cancer which comprises the detection in a sample of said patient of a yeast or of a mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof. , wherein if said yeast or mannoprotein, or functionally variant thereof, is detected, then the patient is a candidate for treatment based on an antifungal agent or a compound capable of binding to a mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, and block the binding of said mannoprotein, or functionally equivalent variant thereof, to a receptor of endothelial cells.

The particular embodiments of the invention that have been cited in the present description, are applicable to the inventive aspects directed to an in vitro method to predict the probability of a patient suffering from cancer to suffer metastasis or an in vitro method to design a personalized therapy to a patient suffering from cancer.

The invention is described below by the following examples that are illustrative and in no way limiting.

EXAMPLES

In the embodiment of Examples 1 to 9, the Materials and Methods described below were used.

I. MATERIAL AND METHODS Origin, Maintenance and obtaining of C. albicans cells

In the embodiment of this invention four strains were used:

C. C. albicans UPV1413 and C. albicans UPV1360 strains belonging to the

crop collection of the University of the Basque Country (UPV / EHU) that were

isolated from patients with systemic candidiasis;

CA The CA2 strain, agerminative mutant kindly yielded by A Cassone

(Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy); Y

 the reference strain NCPF3153 from the National Collection of

Pathogenic Fungi.

In the maintenance of yeasts, Sabouraud Broth (SDB) [Glucose 20 g / l, Peptone 10 g / l], Sabouraud Glucose Agar (SDA) [Sabouraud Broth 1l, Agar 15 g / l] and Saline solution were used at 0 , 9%. All of them were autoclaved at 1.1 atm, 15 minutes.

The strains were kept at 4 ° C in inclined tubes of SDA medium after a 24-hour pre-incubation at 24 ° C and monthly reseeding was performed in the same maintenance medium. The blastospores were obtained by inoculating 106 cells / ml in 1 liter of SDB and incubated 24 hours at 24 ° C. Subsequently, the cells were harvested by centrifugation for 5 minutes at 2,500 g and two washings were performed with Dulbecco's PBS solution. Of the precipitate 106 cells / ml were inoculated in M199 medium and incubated at 37 ° C for 4 hours. Then the germ tubes thus obtained were harvested.

Inactivation of C. albicans was carried out from a yeast suspension at a concentration of 107 cells / ml that were killed by exposure to 20 mM or 50 mM sodium metaperiodate for 30 minutes at room temperature (Filler et al., 1996 Infect Immun .; 64: 2609-2617.) Or by incubation at 70 ° C for 30 minutes in a thermostated bath. The viability of the cell suspension was confirmed by extension on SDA plates.

Analysis of wall mannosylation by flow cytometry.

Yeasts of the C. albicans UPV1413 strain live or previously treated with metaperiodate at concentrations of 20 and 50 mM as previously described were centrifuged and resuspended at a concentration of 107 cells / ml in TBS (Tris-HCl (pH 7 , 5) 50 mM, 150 mM NaCl) + 1 mM (MgCl2 + MnCl2 + CaCl2) and Concanavalin-FITC (2 μg / ml) for 30 minutes at 37 ° C. After incubation the cells were centrifuged and resuspended in TBS to be analyzed in the flow cytometer.

Cytometry measurements were performed using the FACSCalibur flow cytometer (Becton Dickinson). The samples were processed several times for a predetermined time (1 minute) so that the results were repetitive and significant. The

Flow rate was determined before and after each session using the TruCOUNTTM BD (Becton Dickinson) tubes. Subsequently, the data obtained were analyzed using the CellQuest software (V 3.3; Becton Dickinson).

B16 melanoma cells

Melanoma B16 (MB16) is a very undifferentiated malignant tumor that was isolated in Jackson laboratories (Maine, USA) in 1954, from a spontaneous tumor that arose in the skin of a mouse of strain C57BL / 6J. In 1972, starting from this line, IJ Fidler obtained cellular variants with different metastatic potential by repeated intravenous implants of tumor cells obtained from pulmonary metastatic foci. In this way, a line with high metastatic capacity was selected, known as B16F10 (Fidler, IJ. Et al. 1973. Nature, 242: 148-149). This tumor was facilitated by the American tissue culture collection.

B16 melanoma cells were cultured in modified Dulbecco Eagle (DMEM) medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, 100 units / ml penicillin, and 100 mg / ml streptomycin. The cultures were maintained at 37 ° C in a 5% CO2 atmosphere.

Obtaining ESH cells

The liver of anesthetized mice was perfused through the portal vein with Gey's saline solution (GBSS) (pH 7.4) at 1.5 ml / minute for 3 minutes. Then, tissue digestion was carried out by perfusion in situ with 10 ml of solution A [GBSS 10 ml, 0.1% pronase] followed by 15 ml of solution B [GBSS 15 ml, Collagenase 0.083% (w / v ), Pronase 0.033% (w / v)]. The liver was then chopped and mixed in 13 ml of solution C [GBSS 13 ml, Collagenase 0.038%, pronase 0.038%, DNase I 0.0005% (w / v)] at 37 ° C for 10 minutes. After this last enzymatic digestion the solution was diluted with GBSS and the entire volume was filtered through a sterile nylon gauze. The filtrate was partitioned into two 50 ml tubes and centrifuged at 1500 rpm for 7 minutes at 4 ° C. A second wash was performed under the same conditions.

The cell suspension was centrifuged at 800 g for 15 minutes in metrizamide solution [GBSS 10 ml, Metrizamide 17.5% (2- (3-acetamide-5-methylacetamide2,4,6-triodobenzamide) -2-deoxy-D- glucose)]. Then, the cells located in the upper part of the gradient were collected, resuspended in DMEM-HEPES (10 mM, pH 7.4) and centrifuged at 500 g for 7 minutes at 4 ° C. The cell pellet obtained was resuspended in a small volume of DMEM to calculate the proportion of viable cells by means of a trypan blue exclusion test and hemocytometer count. To obtain a population of sinusoidal cells under optimal conditions, they were seeded on a 1% type I collagen matrix. For the preparation of these culture plates with this matrix, 24-well plates were used to which the collagen solution was added at a rate of 1 ml / well. After incubation at 37 ° C for at least 2 hours, the isolated cells were washed and seeded directly.

Freshly isolated endothelial cells in DMEM with 10% SBF were added to 24-well plates blocked with type I collagen at the rate of 106 cells / ml per well, and 2 hours later they were washed. The cultures resulting from ESH adherent cells were considered as pure since the other cell types were removed in the washes. ESH cell cultures were stabilized and maintained in pyrogen-free DMEM medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, 100 units / ml of penicillin, and 100 mg / ml streptomycin at 37 ° C in a 5% CO2 atmosphere for at least 12 hours After culturing, the endothelial cells were washed and kept in serum free medium for at least 4 hours before performing any type of assay. Under these conditions, endothelial cells could be maintained in culture for a maximum of 4-5 days, after which they began to lose characteristics

Obtaining and purifying the crude extract of C. albicans

Once the cells were harvested, they were resuspended in lysis buffer (Molloy et al. 2000. Annal Biochem, 280: 1-10). Subsequently, the suspension was sonicated with pulses of 2 seconds at 60 W for 10 minutes. This process was carried out in an ice bath to avoid heating and the subsequent degradation of the sample. Then, the sample was centrifuged for 10 minutes at 10,000 g to remove all cell debris and supernatant which was called crude extract was collected.

Purification of mannoproteins from the crude extract of C. albicans

To separate the mannoproteins from the crude extract of C. albicans, an affinity chromatography column of Con-A Sepharosa was used, which consisted of Concanavalin A (ligand) coupled to a cross-linked agarose matrix (Sepharosa 4B) activated with bromide of cyanogen (GE-Healthcare).

Sepharose Con-A was supplemented with 0.1 M acetate buffer pH 6 (1M NaCl, 1mM CaCl2, 1mM MnCl2 and 1mM MgCl2). A solution containing 25% binding buffer [Tris-HCl (pH 7.4) 20 mM, 0.5 M NaCl, 1 mM MgCl2, 1 mM MnCl2, 1 mM CaCl2] and 75% gel (supplemented) was prepared which It was poured into the column. The volume of the column bed was washed 10 times with binding buffer to remove the mertiolate (0.01%), and the column was finished filling with binding buffer to finish with the assembly of the top of the column. After achieving a constant column height, the maintenance flow was maintained three times the volume of the column bed, using a flow of 0.8 ml / minute to pack the column.

Next, a total of 90 mg of protein dissolved in 30 ml of binding buffer at a flow rate of 0.2 ml / minutes was loaded into the column. The fraction not retained in the column was collected by passing through it 40 ml of binding buffer. This fraction was called the protein fraction (FP). The retained fraction or mannoprotein fraction (FMN) was eluted from the column passing through it 40 ml of elution buffer [20 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 0.5 M NaCl, 1 mM MgCl 2, 1 mM MnCl 2, 1 mM CaCl2, 0.5 M aD-methyl mannoside].

Once the process was finished, the Con A-Sepharose column was regenerated by washing with regeneration buffer [0.1% Triton-X 100] at 37 ° C.

Quantification of proteins and carbohydrates

Protein quantification was calculated using the RC / DC Protein Assay Reagent

(Bio-Rad) using different concentrations of bovine seroalbumine as a standard line.

The quantification of sugars was carried out using the method of the antrone (Chung & Nickerson, 1954. J Biol. Chem, 208: 395-407) using different concentrations of mannose to make the straight pattern.

Preparative electrophoresis

The isolation of the proteins of interest was performed by 491 Prep. Cell (Bio-Rad) and the Econo-system (Bio-Rad) calculating for each band the optimal conditions for their isolation that are summarized in the following table:

Table 1: Conditions used for the fractionation of the crude extract of the C. albicans strain UPV1413 by preparative electrophoresis into 5 subfractions with different molecular weight.

10 The electrophoresis were performed with preparative electrophoresis buffer (10x) [Tris base 30.3 g / l, Glycine 144 g / l, SDS 10 g / l] and migrated by adding 15 µl of Ta-Mercaptoethanol loading buffer 50 l, Glycerin 100 l, Bromophenol Blue Traces] on 50 l of sample, in a gel tube with an inner diameter of 28 mm at 12 W as a limiting factor, 50 mA and 300 V. The times for obtaining the protein from

The interest varied from one electrophoresis to another, so in each isolation process 80 tubes were recovered that were analyzed five by five by silver staining in 10% and 7.5% gels according to the molecular weight of the protein of interest to analyze. The analysis was performed by inoculating 25 ml of sample with loading buffer in each gel lane. Once identified the series of tubes that contained the protein of

20 interest, these were analyzed one by one. Subsequently, the collected fractions were dialyzed against distilled water and lyophilized.

Preparatory isoelectric focusing in the Rotofor

The crude extract was dialyzed against water and subsequently diluted in water

25 distilled to a volume of 19 ml. Then, 1 ml (2%) of ampholytes from the range of pI into which the proteins were to be separated was added. To do this, two ranges, 3-10 and 3-5, were used to obtain two different subdivisions. The membranes of both electrolytes were equilibrated for 24 hours in their respective buffers before performing the isoelectrophoretic separation. The cation exchange membrane was equilibrated in the acid electrolyte solution [H3PO4 9.8 g / l] and the anion exchange membrane in the basic electrolyte solution [NaOH 4 g / l]. The conditions at which the preparative isoelectric focusing was performed were constant 12 W for approximately 4 hours (until the volts stabilized). The temperature at which the process was carried out was 4 ° C.

SDS-PAGE (1D)

The following materials were used to carry out the SDS-PAGE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis:

Acrylamide / Bis (30% T, 2.67% C): Acrylamide 292 g / l, N'N'-bismethylene acrylamide 80 g / l (once prepared it was filtered and stored at 4 ° C).

 1.5 M Tris-HCl (pH 8.8): Tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane 27.23 g, 80 ml deionized water (the pH was adjusted to 8.8 with 1 N HCl. It was taken up to 150 ml with deionized water and stored at 4 ° C).

0,5Tr-HCl 0.5 M (pH 6.8): Tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane 6 g, 60 ml deionized water (the pH was adjusted to 6.8 with 1N HCl. It was taken up to 100 ml with deionized water and stored at 4 ° C).

Electrode buffer (pH 8.3): Tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane 3 g / l, Glycine 14.4 g / l, SDS 1 g / l.

 Stacking gel: 0.5 M Tris-HCl pH 6.8 2.5 ml, 10% SDS 100 μl, Acrylamide / Bis (30% stock) 1.3 ml, Distilled water 6.1 ml (el The gel was gently stirred and degassed for 10 minutes at room temperature, then added: 10% ammonium persulfate 50 μl and 10 μl TEMED).

De Resolution gel (10% acrylamide): 0.5 M Tris-HCl pH 8.8 2.5 ml, 10% SDS 100 μl, Acrylamide / Bis (30% stock) 3.33 ml, Distilled water 4.07 ml (the gel was gently stirred and degassed for 10 minutes at room temperature. Then added: 10% ammonium persulfate 50 μl and TEMED 10 μl).

The different protein extracts were analyzed by SDS-PAGE according to the method of Laemli (1970) in the Miniprotean II system (Bio-Rad) for 45 minutes at 70 mA, 100 W and 200 V. For the determination of the molecular weights of the bands obtained in electrophoresis were used as molecular weight markers the high molecular weight standard HMW (Sigma) represented in Table 2.

5 Table 2: HMW molecular weight markers.

SDS-PAGE (2D)

10 In the first dimension, the Immobiline DryStrips (Amersham) isoelectric focusing gels with immobilized pH gradient of 4-7 with a length of 7 cm were used.

IPG gels were loaded with 150 μg of sample diluted in 100 μl of buffer

15 Rehydration [Urea 8 M, CHAPS 2% (w / v), Pharmalytes 2% (v / v), β-mercaptoethanol 2% (v / v), Bromophenol Blue 0.002%] and rehydrated for 12 hours in the Ettan IPGphor (Amersham). The conditions are shown in Table 3.

Table 3: Isoelectric focusing conditions.

After separation by isoelectric point, 2 15-minute incubations were performed in equilibration buffer [6 M Urea, 75 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.8), Glycerol (87% w / w) 29.3% (v / v), 2% SDS (w / v), Bromophenol Blue 0.002%]; the first one with 5 dithiothreitol (1%) and the second with iodacetamide (2%).

Proteins were separated according to their molecular weight using two systems: Miniprotean II (Bio-Rad) under the conditions of 70 mA, 100 W and 200 V 10 for 1 hour. To obtain a good resolution, gels with an acrylamide concentration of 10% were used; and Multiphor II, for which gradient gels 8-18 (GE Healthcare) were used. The conditions used are shown in Table 4:

15 Table 4: Electrophoresis conditions

The HMW (Sigma) molecular weight markers used in determining the molecular weights of the bands are shown in Table 2. 20

Coomassie G250 staining

Prior to the addition of the dye, 3 5-minute washes were performed in distilled water. Next, the Bio-Safe (Bio-Rad) dye was added based on Coomassie colloidal blue G250 for 1 hour. After this time it was washed again

with distilled water.

Silver staining

Immediately after electrophoresis the gels were treated for at least 90 minutes in fixation solution [Ethanol 500 ml / l, Acetic acid 120 ml / l, Formaldehyde (before using) 50 μl / l]. Then, three 20-minute washes were performed with 30% ethanol. After subjecting the gels to a pretreatment with sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate (0.3 g / l) for 1 minute and washing them with deionized water three times for 20 seconds each time, they were incubated for 20 minutes in the impregnation solution [Silver Nitrate 0.2 g / l, Formaldehyde (before using) 0.75 ml / l]. Finally, the gels were washed twice with deionized water and the developer solution [Sodium carbonate 60 g / l, Sodium thiosulfate (before using) 4 mg / l, Formaldehyde (before using) 0.5 ml / l]. The development was stopped with the stop solution [Ethanol 500 ml / l, Acetic acid 120 ml / l].

Detection of glycoproteins by Concanavalin A

The separated proteins were transferred to PVDF membranes in a NovaBlot system (GE Healthcare) in the presence of transfer buffer [Glycine 14.41 g / l, Tris 3,025 g / l, Methanol 200 ml / l] for 1 hour for gels. 1D and 1 hour 30 minutes for 2D gels at 400 mA and 60 V. To verify that the electrotransfer had been carried out correctly, the membranes were stained with a solution of Ponceau Red [Ponceau Red 4 g / l, Methanol 450 ml / l, Acetic acid 100 ml / l] for protein visualization. The detection of glycoproteins was performed by Western blot using Concanavalin A peroxidase-bound (HRP) (Sigma). After electrotransfer the membranes were washed for 1 hour with TBS buffer and incubated with TBSL for 1 hour at 37 ° C. Three washings of 10 minutes each were then carried out, the first two with 50 mM TBS [Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 150 mM NaCl] and the last with 1 mM TBS (MgCl2 + MnCl2 + CaCl2). After washing, the Immobilon-P (Millipore) membranes (previously treated in an organic solvent (methanol) and subsequently in deionized water) were incubated for 1 hour at 37 ° C with the lectin dissolved in TBS + 1 mM buffer (MgCl2 + MnCl2 + CaCl2) at a concentration of 0.2 μg / ml. Finally, the membranes were washed for 10 minutes three times with TBS. The reaction was by chemiluminescence (Millipore).

Western blotting

The membrane previously moistened with methanol and miliQ water was kept for 10 minutes in TBS before starting the incubations. The free radicals were then blocked with TBSL [TBS 100 ml, 5 g skim milk] 1 hour at 37 ° C with stirring. After that, the incubation was carried out with the primary antibody (anti-mouse IL-1β (R&D Systems)) in a 1/500 dilution in 1 hour TBSL at 37 ° C. Subsequently, 3 5-minute washes were performed with TBS and incubation was carried out with the secondary antibody (anti-IgG-HRP) diluted 1/20000 in TBSL 1 hour at room temperature. Finally, the membranes were washed for 10 minutes three times with

TBS The reaction was visualized by chemiluminescence with the Immobilon western reagent (Millipore) on Curix RP-2 film sheets (Kodak).

Computer image analysis

The computer analysis of the electrophoresis of the different purified fractions was performed with the ImageMaster 2D Platinum (GE Healthcare) software from gels stained with Coomassie G250 blue, with silver staining or developed with chemiluminescence.

Identification of FMN3 mannoproteins

The identification of the FMN3 mannoproteins (45–66 kDa) was carried out by means of the MALDI-TOF MS peptide fingerprint technique in the proteomic service of the CIC Biogune (Zamudio) or by LC-MS / MS performed in the service General of proteomics of the University of the Basque Country (UPV / EHU). The dots were extracted from a 2D polyacrylamide gel stained with Coomassie G250 blue. The spectra obtained were analyzed using the GenBank and Matrix Science databases.

Tumor adhesion assay induced by C. albicans

The measurement of adhesion was carried out using the method based on the measurement of fluorescence. MB16 cells were resuspended in a solution of 2´, 7´-bis- (2-carboxyethyl) -5,6-carboxyfluorescein acetoxymethyl ester (BCECF-AM) in DMEM-HEPES (40 μg / ml) and were incubated during 20 minutes at 37 ° C. Then, the cells were washed and resuspended in DMEM-HEPES at a concentration of 2x105 cells / ml. The autofluorescence of the ESH culture was determined.

Subsequently, ESH cells were incubated with different strains and extracts of C. albicans (5x105 cells / well), FMN (2 μg carbohydrate / ml), EC (2 μg carbohydrate / ml), FP (2 μg protein / ml) or commercial morning of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (100 μg / ml) for 8 hours. Untreated ESH cells received baseline medium as a control. After being washed extensively, BC16F labeled MB16 cells were added to the ESH culture (0.1 ml / well) and also to plastic or control wells covered with type I collagen.

After the adhesion time elapsed, the co-cultures were excited with 488 nm wavelength light and the fluorescence emitted at 530 nm by the BCEF incorporated into the tumor cells in the plate scanning fluorimeter was recorded. Next, three vigorous washes of said co-cultures were performed, eliminating the tumor cells not adhered to the endothelial cell monolayer. Subsequently, 1 ml of the same adhesion medium was added to each well and the fluorescence emitted was read. In this way a relative value (in arbitrary units of fluorescence intensity) could be determined with respect to the number of tumor cells added. The relative adhesion was calculated for each well according to the formula: (A - C) / (B - C), where A is the fluorescence of the MB16 adhered to the ESH incubated C. albicans, B is the fluorescence of the MB16 adhered to the untreated ESH cells and C is the fluorescence prior to adhesion of tumor cells.

To block the IL-1β receptor or the mannose receptor, the IL-1 antagonist receptor (IL-1Ra) (Amgen Biologicals) and the mannose anti-receptor (anti mouse CD206) (Acris antibodies) were used. These molecules were added 15 (IL-1Ra) or 30 (anti-MNR) minutes before incubation of the endothelium with C.albicans cells or extracts.

Measurement of B16 melanoma cell proliferation in response to C. albicans

2,550 cells / well (200 μl) were seeded in culture medium with 10% SBF [Acid. acetic acid 1 ml, distilled water 99 ml, sulforrodamine 0.4 mg]. The standard line that relates the number of cells with the amount of fluorescence emitted, was prepared from the serial dilution of MB16 from a concentration of 675 to 80,000

cells / well (200 μl) in a 96-well plate. Culture medium without cells was used to measure the blank. Three hours later, when the cells were attached to the plate, 50 µl of 64% acetic acid was added to the wells that made up the standard line. After 1 hour incubation, the wells were washed with PBS and allowed to dry.

The next day the medium was removed with SBF adding fresh medium without SBF together with the different treatments (FMN at a concentration of 2 μg carbohydrates / ml). The plate was incubated for 48 hours at 37 ° C with 5% CO2. After the incubation time, 50 µl of 64% trichloroacetic acid was added over the wells for 1 hour. They were then washed with tap water and allowed to dry in the oven at 50 ° C for 30 minutes. Then 100 µl / well of sulforrodamine solution was added for 30 minutes, and it was incubated at room temperature in the dark. Then, the wells were washed with 1% acetic acid and the plate was dried again in the oven at 50 ° C for 30 minutes. Finally, 200 μl of the 10 mM Tris solution pH 10.5 [Tris 1.21 g / ml] was added per well and after 5 minutes the plate was read on a scanning fluorometer (Fluoroscan AFCENT) with a 530 nm excitation filter, and 620 nm emission filter.

With the fluorescence values obtained in the standard line, a regression line was constructed, obtaining an equation that allowed the fluorescence emitted to be related to the cells based on the number of cells / well.

Quantification of TNF-

The concentration of TNF-e IL-18 in the supernatants was determined using a commercial ELISA kit (R&D Systems) based on monoclonal antibodies following the manufacturer's instructions. Tumor adhesion assays induced by C. albicans and tumor cell proliferation of melanoma B16 in response to C. albicans (both described above) were performed in collaboration with the company Pharmakine S.L.

Endotoxin concentration measurement

All the processes of obtaining cells or cell extracts carried out in order to verify the increase in tumor adhesion they induced were performed with sterile and endotoxin-free material. To verify the absence of these in the final extracts, the Limulus lysis assay (Associates of Cape Cod, Woods Hole, MA) was used following the manufacturer's instructions.

Statistical analysis

Statistically significant differences (p <0.05) were calculated according to the Student's t test or through the ANOVA test followed by the Bonferroni post-hoc test as shown in the figures.

II. RESULTS

Example 1 Effect of Candida albicans on tumor adhesion to ESH

1. Effect of intraspecific variation and morphological status of different strains of C. albicans on the adhesion of MB16 on ESH

In order to clarify the effect that C. albicans exerts on tumor adhesion to the mouse hepatic sinusoidal endothelium, different strains and morphological states thereof were studied. As can be seen in Figure 1, three strains were used both in the levaduriform state and after having induced the formation of germ tubes: The reference strain NCPF3153 from a collection of type cultures showed no significant effect with respect to the control situation. On the contrary, the two strains from the collection of the University of the Basque Country that were isolated from patients with candidiasis demonstrated a great capacity to stimulate ESH and increase the adhesion of tumor cells.

Both strains, when used in a levaduriform state, induced an increase in the adhesion of MB16 cells to ESH, which exceeded the adhesion produced in the control situation by more than 100%, that is, without C. albicans. The results also showed us that after incubation of the endothelium with yeasts, more than 85% of them had filamented. However, when the ESH was incubated with the strains in germ tube morphology, germinated prior to the trial, the increase in adhesion was significantly less than that induced by the same strains in the levaduriform state, although it was also significantly greater than in the control situation. .

Given that the morphological status of C. albicans influenced the model studied and that it was the yeasts that induced the greatest increase in adhesion, then it was verified whether this proadhesive effect induced by C. albicans is also dependent on the viability of yeasts . For this, viable and dead cells were used by heat and chemical oxidation with metaperiodato. This point is particularly interesting if we consider that yeasts germinate during incubation with the ESH and that if this process is the determining factor, dead yeasts would not be able to increase tumor adhesion to ESH.

Figure 2 shows how, despite being dead, the yeasts of the UPV1413 strain continue to cause a significant increase in the adhesion of B16 cells on the ESH. The increase is more than double the adhered tumor cells compared to the control situation. Specifically, dead cells with both heat and metaperiodate at a concentration of 20 mM induce an increase in tumor adhesion of more than 100% compared to the control, being greater than that produced by living cells. This means that neither cell viability nor the germination process is crucial to induce an increase in tumor adhesion to ESH.

Although the cells that were treated with metaperiodate at a concentration of 50 mM reduced their effect on increasing tumor adhesion with respect to those treated with a concentration of 20 mM, it is striking that dead yeasts by metaperiodate treatment in both concentrations they maintained the capacity to increase tumor adhesion to the endothelium, since this treatment oxidizes sugars and is usually used for the elimination of a good part of them from cell extracts.

To finish corroborating that yeasts are the most active morphological state in this process, strain NCPF3153 was tested that had not shown any influence on tumor adhesion and its CA2 agerminative mutant. Figure 2 shows clearly that the CA2 strain, which is not capable of germinating, was able to induce a significant increase in the adhesion of MB16 cells on the ESH. This increase meant almost twice as many tumor cells linked with respect to the control situation while the reference strain had no effect.

Incubation of ESH with C. albicans causes greater adhesion of MB16 cells to the endothelium. This increase depends both on the strain that is used, and on its morphological state, being the levaduriform morphology, both in the living and the dead state, the one that showed the greatest proadhesive capacity.

2. Effect of chemical oxidation with metaperiodate on the morphology and wall composition of C. albicans

To check that the treatment of C. albicans yeasts with metaperiodata removed carbohydrates from the cell surface, a flow cytometer was used. Flow Cytometry (CMF) is a multiparameter cell analysis technique whose foundation is based on passing a suspension of aligned particles (usually cells) and one at a time in front of a focused laser beam. The light scattered at a small conical angle, called FSC (Forward Scatter), is a measure proportional to the size of the particle that produces the dispersion. The light scattered at right angles called SSC (Side Scatter) is proportional to the complexity of the internal structure of the particle. The parameter FL1 is proportional to the fluorescence of the particle, in this case due to the FITC.

To perform the experiment, C. albicans yeasts treated with 20 mM, 50 mM and untreated metaperiodate were labeled with lectin Concanavalin A, which has affinity to a-mannosylated residues, bound to fluorochrome FITC (With A-FITC) . A dispersion cytogram showing cell complexity (SSC) with size (FSC), and a mixed cytogram facing fluorescence (FL1) with cell size (FSC) are shown in Figure 3. As can be seen, the different populations do not vary in size or cell complexity, however, they do in fluorescence. The living population, not treated with metaperiodato (R1), has a high fluorescence as a result of which Concanavalin AFITC has been attached. However, as the concentration of the metaperiodate treatment increases, the binding of Concanavalin A becomes more difficult and the fluorescence decreases. Thus, the R2 population, treated with 20 mM metaperiodato, appears with less fluorescence than the living ones, and the R3,

5 treated with 50 mM, it practically lacks fluorescence since it appears with the same fluorescence as background noise.

Conclusion: The treatment of C. albicans yeasts with metaperiodata eliminates sugars from the cell surface preventing the binding of Concanavalin A. 10 Despite this, yeasts maintain the ability to increase tumor adhesion to

endothelium with respect to control.

3. Study of the carbohydrate / protein composition of Candida albicans strains

15 Differences in the concentration of proteins and carbohydrates between the strains could give an explanation of which elements of C. albicans are primarily responsible for their effect on tumor adhesion to ESH. To verify this, measurements of carbohydrates and proteins of each of the strains in yeast and germ tube morphology were performed.

Table 4

As can be seen in Table 4, the measurement of the concentration of carbohydrates per cell unit between the strains did not indicate differences that could be related to the different effects shown in tumor adhesion. However, the concentration

protein increased when the cell unit was the germ tube and therefore had a higher biomass than yeast. This makes the carbohydrate / protein ratio higher in yeast than in the germ tube, and this difference is significant in some cases. Interestingly, this difference is significant in strain UPV1413 and UPV1360, which have shown the greatest effect on tumor adhesion to endothelial cells (Figure 4).

Conclusion: The carbohydrate / protein ratio is higher in the blastoconidia of all strains of C. albicans with respect to the germ tubes, this difference being significant in the UPV1360 and UPV1413 strains.

Example 2 Effect of Candida albicans on the production of IL-18

IL-18 has been described as a molecule responsible for increasing the adhesion of MB16 cells to the murine hepatic endothelium and increasing the capacity of MB16 metastases in mouse liver through the stimulation of the VCAM-1 molecule (Carrascal et al., 2003. Cancer Research, 63: 49731-49734). For this reason, to verify that it is also one of the cytokines involved in the process triggered by C. albicans, a quantification of the production of this cytokine was performed after incubation of the ESH with live and dead yeasts by oxidation with metaperiodate to two different concentrations: 20 and 50 mM.

As can be seen in Figure 5, C. albicans, at a concentration of 106 cells / ml, induces an increase in IL-18 production of approximately 100% with respect to the values of the control situation regardless of whether Yeasts are alive or dead. The significant increase in the production of IL-18 continues to be maintained despite reducing the concentration of yeasts to 105 cels / ml. At this concentration, however, it can be seen that dead yeasts with 50 mM metaperiodate have a lower effect than live yeasts and that dead ones with a concentration of 20 mM, demonstrating the importance of completely removing carbohydrates from the surface albicans cell.

Conclusion: C. albicans induces the production of IL-18 in the ESH. This production is dependent on the concentration of cells, as well as the concentration of carbohydrates present in the yeast wall.

Example 3

Study of the effect of different C. albicans fractions on tumor adhesion to ESH

1. Purification of the protein and mannoprotein fraction

Next, since an effect has been described in the literature on increasing the adhesion of tumor cells to commercially induced ESH (Mendoza. Et al. 1998. J. Cell Physiol., 174: 322-330), and that the strains used in this study are rich in this mannose polymer, it was analyzed whether the mannoproteins of the strain that had the greatest effect, strain UPV1413, were responsible for this response. To do this, an affinity chromatography was performed on Concanavalin A-Sepharose 4B columns to separate the mannoprotein fraction (FMN) from the non-mannoprotein fraction called protein fraction (FP).

The results obtained, which are reflected in Table 6, show a not very high performance of chromatography. However, considering that the results that appear in the literature with this type of columns speak of yields of 60% (Rodrigo et al. 2003. Biochem J., 376: 261-268) in specific proteins and that our extract is very complex, the results can be given as satisfactory. The FMN obtained had an approximate concentration of 45-69% carbohydrates. That is, the mannoprotein fraction obtained from C. albicans has a slightly higher concentration of carbohydrates than proteins.

Table 6: Results of affinity chromatography on Concanavalin columns

A. They are shown as the average of the chromatography results and their standard deviation.

2. Effect of the concentration of C. albicans fractions on tumor adhesion to ESH

Once the fractions were obtained, they were contacted with the endothelial cells and it was observed that at concentrations similar to those tested in the commercial mannan literature (0.1 mg / ml), the fractions obtained in our laboratory turned out to be toxic for the cells (Figure 6). In order to verify the effect of the different fractions obtained in the adhesion of MB16 to the ESH, the samples had to be diluted to 2 μg / ml and even 1 μg / ml. At this concentration, the ESH cells were not damaged and the increase in tumor adhesion was similar to that of commercial mannan 100 times more concentrated (0.1 mg / ml). The effect observed when using a concentration of 2 μg / ml mannoproteins more than doubled, that is, more than 100%, the increase in tumor adhesion with respect to the control situation (Figure 7). This increase is similar to that obtained after stimulating the endothelium with the live yeasts of this strain.

3. Effect of different C. albicans fractions on tumor adhesion to ESH

The next point to study was whether the increase in the number of tumor cells adhered to the endothelium, as a result of having been in contact with C. albicans, was due solely to their mannoproteins. For this, the effect of FMN, FP and crude extract on increasing the adhesion of MB16 to ESH was compared. As can be seen in Figure 8, in the ESH stimulated with the FMN there was a significantly greater increase in the adhesion of the MB16 to that of the control, again inducing an increase greater than 100%. However, FP did not induce a significant increase in tumor adhesion. The crude extract did slightly increase tumor adhesion, although the effect was inferior to that produced by FMN.

4. Effect of the different fractions of C. albicans on the production of TNF-

Stimulation of the endothelium causes a cytokine cascade, which ends with the expression of adhesion molecules such as VCAM-1 (Mendoza (cited at supra) 1998, Vidal-Vanaclocha et al. 2000. PNAS, 97: 734-739 ) where the tumor cells adhere. In order to know if the process triggered by the FMN that resulted in the increase of the adhesion of MB16 cells to the ESH was also mediated by cytokines, measurements of the concentration of TNF-, the cytokine described as one of the first and most important that act in the proinflammatory cascade described in the ESH.

As shown in Figure 8, the FP was not able to stimulate an increase in TNF-F production in the endothelium with respect to the control. However, incubation of the endothelium with both the crude extract and the FMN did induce a significant increase in TNF- production compared to the control situation. Again, as with the increase in tumor adhesion, the FMN showed a greater capacity to induce the production of TNF- than the crude extract since it did not induce an increase of 100% while stimulation with FMN produced approximately 120% increase in TNF-producción production with respect to the control, reaching values of 220 pg / 106 cells.

Conclusion: The manproteic fraction of C. albicans induces the adhesion of tumor cells to ESH at a concentration 100 times more diluted than commercial mannan. In this response TNF-α is produced and toxic at high concentrations of extract. Both tumor adhesion and TNF-α increase by more than 100% compared to the control when ESH is stimulated with FMN.

Example 4 Effect of the mannose receptor on tumor adhesion to ESH and the production of IL-18

1. Effect of mannose receptor on tumor adhesion to ESH

In order to demonstrate whether the increase in tumor adhesion to the endothelium stimulated by C. albicans mannoproteins was completely mediated initially by the mannose receptor, a monoclonal antibody capable of blocking the binding between the mannose receptor was used and its ligands. Therefore, a total inhibition of the increase in tumor adhesion mediated by C. albicans mannoproteins would imply that the entire response originated by C. albicans entailed in its beginning an activation of said receptor.

In Figure 9 it can be seen that the use of the mannose anti-receptor considerably reduced the increase in tumor adhesion to the endothelium stimulated by C. albicans or its mannoproteins. As the concentration of this antibody was increased, adhesion was increasingly reduced, although the effect was not completely eliminated. In fact, it was found that the increase in tumor adhesion induced by recombinant enolase, which was approximately 40%, was independent of the use of the mannose anti-receptor, as expected since it was a recombinant enolase expressed in E. coli that does not have attached carbohydrates. This implies the activation of the process by another mechanism independent of this receiver. In addition, C. albicans treated with 50 mM sodium metaperiodate, which removes carbohydrates from the cell surface, increases tumor adhesion by approximately 40% with respect to control. This effect is maintained, although not significantly, despite adding the mannose anti-receptor.

Conclusion: The mannose receptor is responsible for initiating most of the ESH response to C. albicans that triggers an increase in tumor adhesion, but there is also an effect independent of it.

2. Effect of the mannose receptor on the production of IL-18

As previously mentioned in this invention, IL-18 has been described as a molecule responsible for increasing the adhesion of MB16 cells to the murine hepatic endothelium in the inflammatory process initiated after stimulation of the mannose receptor that ends expression of the VCAM molecule where tumor cells bind. Thus, to clarify a little more the effect of the mannose receptor in this process, the production of IL-18 by ESH stimulated with C. albicans and its mannoproteins was studied, and the mannose receptor was blocked to check its influence in the production of this cytokine.

As seen in Figure 10, the production of IL-18 induced by C. albicans

or your mannoproteins decreased significantly when using the mannose anti-receptor.

The same thing happened when ovalbumin was used, a glycoprotein that blocks endothelial binding sites with both its glycidic and protein part. As can be seen in the figure, the reduction in the production of IL-18 was significant, between 45 and 83% inhibition of the increase in the production of IL-18 induced by C. albicans and its mannoproteins in the endothelium. After blocking with both molecules the production of IL-18 is superior to the control situation, being significant in the endothelium stimulated with C. albicans and blocked with the anti-MNR.

Conclusion: the mannose anti-receptor antibody significantly reduces the production of IL-18 by ESH stimulated by C. albicans.

Example 5 Two-dimensional study of the crude extract, protein fraction and fraction C. albicans mannoprotein

In order to visualize and characterize the peptide composition of the fractions obtained, they were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis and then the gels obtained were stained by silver staining since it is more sensitive than Coomassie blue staining and staining Better mannoproteins. The figures show that the crude extract has proteins spread over the range of isoelectric point between 4 and 8, while by molecular weight proteins larger than 100 kDa were not detected.

The highest density of molecules was found between 4.5 and 7 isoelectric point and between 40 and 60 kDa molecular weight (Figure 11 (B)). Two important areas were also observed both above 66 kDa and 27-30 kDa. Both with an approximate isoelectric point of 5 (Figure 11 (A and C)). The result of the two-dimensional electrophoresis of the FP is shown in Figure 12. As can be seen in it, most of the molecules that appeared in the gel of the crude extract belong to this fraction, being practically impossible to identify the proteins that no longer appear due to the high density of proteins contained. However, the area called A, which is between 65-75 kDa and 4.5-5 isoelectric point, which has almost completely disappeared, can be excepted.

As already observed in Table 6, the amount of proteins contained in FMN was approximately 5 times less than the amount in FP. This meant that in order to obtain FMN gels in which their mannoproteins could be visualized, a 5-fold proportion of the sample had to be added. Therefore, the mannoproteins that appear in the FMN gel are not visible in the gel of the crude extract, since its concentration in it is 5 times lower. The FMN shown in Figure 13 has a much less homogeneous distribution than the other fractions. It was observed that the number of mannoproteins in relation to the total is small and that they are distributed almost entirely in the 3 areas mentioned above. It should be noted in this case the area A that is formed mostly by mannoproteins, and which, as can be seen in the figure, is one of the most important areas of the FMN.

Additionally, it was interesting to observe how an electrodense, acidic and very high molecular weight zone appeared in gels made with FMN, which even exceeds 200 kDa and could not be observed in electrophoresis performed with the crude extract (Figure 13 (D)).

A two-dimensional western blot of the crude extract revealed with chemiluminescence using With A-HRP (Figure 14) shows the high degree of mannosylation of high molecular weight acidic mannoproteins that could not be detected in the silver stain of the crude extract but that if They detected in the FMN gel and were designated as zone D. In addition there are several highly mannosylated mannoproteins with a molecular weight of approximately 45 kDa. At lower molecular weights, the low degree of mannosylation did not allow them to be detected.

Conclusion: Most of the proteins of the C. albicans extract visualized by two-dimensional electrophoresis are not mannosylated. To be able to visualize the mannoproteins by means of this methodology, a prior purification is necessary as the one carried out in the present invention.

Example 6 Analysis of mannoprotein subfractions in tumor adhesion to ESH

Once it has been demonstrated that the mannoprotein fraction has an important role in increasing tumor adhesion to ESH induced by C. albicans and that this process is produced by activating a cytokine cascade among which are TNF- and IL-18, the next objective that was raised was to obtain different mannoprotein sub-fractions that covered different molecular weights and different isoelectric points. In this way, the effect of this fraction was achieved. That is, if its effect is widespread or is concentrated in some mannoproteins.

1. Obtaining mannoprotein subfractions of different molecular weight

The results obtained from the purifications by preparative electrophoresis that appear in Table 7 showed a total yield of the process that goes from 51.25% that was obtained if we take into account the proteins up to 80.53% that were obtained for carbohydrates. This difference could be due to the fact that the most complicated fractions to recover, the central fractions, is where more quantity was lost since the first and last tubes of the fractions had to be rejected because they were contaminated from the immediately adjacent ones, and in these fractions the protein amount was greater than the protein hand. After separation of the crude extract into 5 subfractions of different molecular weight, these were subjected to affinity chromatography on a Concanavalin A-Sepharose column as previously described to purify FMN.

Table 7: Results of obtaining 5 subfractions of different molecular weight by preparative electrophoresis from the crude extract: F1: 0 -30 kDa, F2: 30 45 kDa, F3: 45 - 66 kDa, F4: 66 -115 kDa, F5: <115 kDa. It is expressed as the average of the results obtained, its standard deviation and the percentage of the total crude extract that represents the amount collected from each fraction.

Table 8: Results of obtaining the 5 mannoprotein subfractions obtained by affinity chromatography from those obtained by

10 preparative electrophoresis from the crude extract: FMN1: 0 -30 kDa, FMN2: 30 -45 kDa, FMN3: 45 -66 kDa, FMN4: 66 - 115 kDa, FMN5: <115 kDa. It is expressed as the average of the results obtained, its standard deviation and the percentage yield of the chromatography.

The results of the purifications obtained by affinity chromatography of the separated fractions according to their molecular weight to obtain their respective mannoprotein fractions showed us, as it appears in Table 8, that the yields were lower than those obtained when purifications of the total crude extract. This could be because the amount from which it was split was

20 minor, and therefore any loss that occurred throughout the purification or subsequent dialysis and lyophilization before the measurement represented a greater percentage of loss. Interestingly, lower yields were also obtained, the lower the molecular weight and the proportion of mannose / protein in the fraction. The result of the fractions obtained after separation by molecular weight is shown in Figure 15

25 of the crude extract (A) where an excellent separation between the fractions is checked. In addition, the Western Blot that was performed after purification by affinity chromatography still shows a very good separation between the fractions. Only fraction 2 overlapped in part with fraction 1 in both cases.

Figure 16 represents the carbohydrate / protein ratio of each of the fractions obtained. It demonstrates that the mannoproteins of greater molecular weight are more mannosylated. It is observed that both FMN1 and FMN2 have a higher proportion of protein than carbohydrates, while the situation is reversed in FMN4 and FMN5 fractions. FMN3 has a more or less equal proportion of carbohydrate than protein.

2. Effect of the different mannoprotein subfractions separated according to their molecular weight in tumor adhesion to the hepatic sinusoidal endothelium

Once the correct separation of the mannoprotein fraction into 5 sub-fractions of different molecular weights, the effect of each of them on tumor adhesion to the endothelium was verified. To do this, in order to avoid that the difference between the effect of the different sub-fractions was due to the amount of carbohydrate present in each fraction, the concentration of the 5 sub-fractions was adjusted to the same concentration of carbohydrates (2 μg / ml) .

After incubation of the hepatic sinusoidal endothelium with each of the subfractions (Figure 17), the increase in tumor adhesion was significantly greater than in the control situation in 4 of the 5 subfractions (FMN2, FMN3, FMN4 and FMN5), both being FMN2 (30-45 kDa), such as FMN3 (45-66 kDa), which had the most effect reaching increases of approximately 100% and even reaching 150% in the case of FMN3.

In addition, as can be seen in Figure 17, FMN2 and FMN3 induced a significant increase in tumor adhesion, 35 and 60% respectively, with respect to commercial mannan, the latter having a 50-fold higher concentration of carbohydrates.

3. FMN3 sequencing

According to the results obtained, there were differences between fractions of different molecular weight that had nothing to do with the concentration of carbohydrates. The FMN3 specifically showed a very important effect and greater than the rest of the mannoprotein fractions obtained.

For this reason, the identification of the most abundant mannoproteins of FMN3 was carried out. For which two-dimensional electrophoresis were performed, which were stained with Coomassie blue and where the most representative mannoproteins were subsequently identified. For the identification, an analysis was carried out by means of a peptide fingerprint of the points that turned out to be more intense and repetitive in 2DE gels. Figure 18 shows the FMN3 points that were selected for identification. The extraction of them was done manually and their identification was done in the CIC Biogune (Zamudio).

The identification of the 34 points that are marked in Figure 18 resulted in a list of 15 different mannoproteins that constitute FMN3 (Table 9).

All of them were identified with significant reliability if we take into account their score or score and the ratio of the number of peptides detected among the number of total peptides of the protein (columns 6 and 7 respectively) except for point number 3, the protein of Zinc (Zinc Ring finger protein), whose identification was rejected because it gave a very low score and few peptides were detected.

Among the identified mannoproteins, many of them were repeated in contiguous isoforms of the same molecular weight but with different isoelectric points as in the case of aminopeptidase, fructose bisphosphate aldolase, alcohol dehydrogenase or enolase. These last two, moreover, presented subunits in which both the molecular weight and the isoelectric point varied. This was also the case, for example, of the protein disulfide isomerase. Many of the sequenced mannoproteins have been previously described in the literature as antigens. Such is the case of mitochondrial keto acid reductoisomerase, isomerase disulfide protein, enolase or alcohol dehydrogenase (Pitarch et al., 2004. Proteomics, 4: 3084-3106).

Table 9: Identification by peptide fingerprint of C. mannoproteins.

most important albicans between 45 and 66 kDa. Mw and pI refer to weight

experimental molecular and isoelectric point respectively.

4. Obtaining protein subfractions of different isoelectric point

To be able to specify more in the search for the main mannoproteins responsible for inducing the increase in tumor adhesion to the endothelium, a separation of the crude extract of C. albicans was performed in four differentiated subfractions

according to the isoelectric point, and from each of them the mannoproteins were purified

by affinity chromatography on columns of Concanavalia A-Sepharosa as

It has already been described previously. For the separation of the fractions according to their point

5 Isoelectric was decided to use the Rotofor system, which allows to perform

preparatory isoelectric focusing. The purification of mannoprotein fractions according to their

Isoelectric point by using Rotofor and affinity chromatography is the best

system for preparative separation according to the pI of complex protein mixtures,

but even so there is a notable loss of the sample amount, so the 10 percent recovery of the fractions with respect to the initial sample was not

too high

For the separation based on the isoelectric point, amphibins of a pH range of 3 to 5.6 were used, leaving in the last fraction all the mannoproteins with the highest point

20 isoelectric, which had already been observed that were not very abundant. Finally, the pI ranges of each of the fractions were F1: <4.25, F2: 4.25-5, F3: 5-5.6, F4:> 5.6.

Figure 19 shows the result of the separation of the crude extract into the 425 subfractions according to its isoelectric point and the result after its subsequent purification by affinity chromatography on Concanavalin A-Sepharose columns. The

separation was satisfactory and, as can be seen in the western blot evaluated against Con A-HRP, the most mannosylated mannoproteins are found in acidic and more than 45 kDa isoelectric points, while as the isoelectric point increases the greater reaction is limited to a band of 45 kDa. These results coincide with those obtained in the analysis performed by two-dimensional electrophoresis of the crude extract, FP and FMN of C. albicans of Example 5.

5. Effect of mannoprotein subfractions of C. albicans on tumor adhesion to ESH

After obtaining the 4 subfractions of different isoelectric points, their effect on tumor adhesion to the endothelium was analyzed. To do this, as was done with the separated fractions according to their molecular weight, the concentration of the fractions was adjusted to the same carbohydrate concentration to avoid that the difference between the effect of the different fractions was due to the amount of carbohydrates present in each fraction.

According to the data shown in Figure 20, the most important mannoproteins in tumor adhesion are among the mannoproteins identified as part of subfraction three (FMN3) with an approximate isoelectric point between 5 and 5.6. Therefore, taking into account both the results of the fractionation according to the molecular weight and those obtained from the fractionation according to the isoelectric point, of the total of identified mannoproteins that had weights between 45 and 66 kDa, the ones that have the greatest effect on tumor adhesion are those which were also identified within the range of isoelectric point from 5 to 5.6. This reduces the initial list of 15 mannoproteins to a total of 7, of which 4 have been previously described as C. albicans antigens.

Figure 21 shows a visual reproduction of the fractionation of C. albicans mannoproteins made according to molecular weight and isoelectric point 5

In Table 11, the mannoproteins that have been previously described in the literature as C. albicans antigens are marked in bold type. Which means that four of the seven proteins that make up this group are antigens. Thus this group of mannoproteins seems to have a high immunogenic potential and may

10 that of endothelial activation. Alcohol dehydrogenase and aminopeptidase were included in the table because of the importance and its proximity to the isoelectric point range and molecular weight respectively. The four mannoproteins that have been described as antigens recognized by patient sera are: mitochondrial ketoacid reductoisomerase, enolase, ubiquinol cit-c reductase and alcohol dehydrogenase. The 3

15 mannoproteins of the group that remain without having been described as antigens are aminopeptidase, which is between FMN3 and FMN4, actin, which is an protein that is an indispensable part of the cell cytoskeleton, and the elongation factor Tu, which belongs to a family of proteins that are related to antigenicity, in fact, some elongation factors have already been described as C antigens.

20 albicans

Conclusions: The manproteic fractions of C. albicans between 45 and 66 kDa depending on the molecular weight and between 5 and 5.6 according to the isoelectric point are the ones that most increase tumor adhesion to the hepatic sinusoidal endothelium. In that region, 7 mannoproteins were identified, 4 of them, with antigenic potential.

Example 7 Comparative two-dimensional analysis of the FMN3 mannoprotein fractions of the different strains

A comparative analysis of the expression of FMN3 antigens was performed between C. albicans strains UPV1413, UPV1360 and NCPF3153. The UPV1413 strain was chosen for analysis because of its high capacity to stimulate tumor adhesion to the endothelium, while the reference strain NCPF3153 was selected because it had the opposite characteristic, since it had not shown the ability to increase the adhesion of tumor cells to ESH. . The UPV1360 strain showed the ability to increase tumor adhesion, although to a lesser extent than UPV1413. To perform the analysis, at least 3 isoelectric point gels between 4 and 7 were used for each strain and analyzed using the Image Master 2D Platinum (GE Healthcare) computer system.

As can be seen in Figure 22, the results showed few significant differences in the expression of the analyzed antigens. The greatest difference in expression was found in aminopeptidase, which was expressed as one of the most important proteins of FMN3 of strain UPV1413 and could hardly be differentiated in FMN3 of strain NCPF3153. Aminopeptidase has not been described in the literature as a C. albicans antigen. Its molecular weight was observed between 68.5 and 69.7 kDa and its isoelectric point between 5.12 and 5.32, which placed it within the fraction of isoelectric point that had shown greater capacity to increase tumor adhesion to endothelial cells, but is at the upper limit of FMN3 in terms of separate fractions according to their molecular weight. When the expression of this mannoprotein in strain UPV1360 was analyzed, which if tumor adhesion increased, instead of expressing itself as it did in strain UPV1413, its expression decreased markedly. Something similar happened with the protein disulphide isomerase, whose expression appeared diminished in the NCPF3153 with respect to the UPV1413, and its expression also diminished in the UPV1360 although it maintained the expression above the level of the reference strain.

The opposite case is one of the subunits of enolasa. Strain NCPF3153 and, above all, strain UPV1360 expressed in greater proportion one of the subunits of enolasa, specifically the most basic of them, which had not been identified in strain UPV1413. Therefore, differences in expression have been found in three FMN3 mannoproteins such as enolase, isomerase disulfide protein and aminopeptidase, although we cannot clearly relate it to a greater increase in tumor adhesion to ESH. However, the fact that in both the UPV1413 and UPV1360 strains two of these three proteins are expressed, in the first the disulphide isomerase protein (A) and the aminopeptidase (C), and in the second the disulphide isomerase protein ( A) and the basic subunit of enolasa (B), to a greater extent than in the reference strain and in all the cases studied, allows us to suppose some effect of them in the increase of tumor adhesion.

Conclusion: The two-dimensional analysis of FMN3 of the different strains provides significant differences in expression between C. albicans strains that induce an effect on the increase of tumor adhesion to the endothelium of the strains that do not induce it.

Example 8 Study of the effect of the mannoprotein fraction of C. albicans in tumor proliferation

In the present invention the effect of C. albicans mannoproteins on the increase of tumor adhesion to the hepatic endothelium has been demonstrated. To eliminate a possible direct effect of C. albicans mannoproteins on B16 tumor cells, in addition to the endothelium, it was measured whether it is possible to induce any variation in tumor cell proliferation. Therefore, the proliferation of MB16 cells induced by the manproteic fraction of C. albicans was measured at 24 and 48 hours. The results obtained are shown in Figure 23. It shows that MB16 cells incubated with the mannoprotein fraction did not have a higher proliferation rate than control cells. Although at 24 hours if there was a proliferation greater than the control, it was not corroborated at 48 hours. In both cases, the proliferation induced by the mannoprotein fraction was lower than that induced by fetal bovine serum.

These results were corroborated after testing using FMN3 (45-66 kDa) to stimulate proliferation. Although in this case, the results shown in Figure 24 indicate that FMN3 increases proliferation with respect to the control situation, they also demonstrate that C. albicans FMN3 does not have the ability to induce tumor cell proliferation as much as the medium supplemented with SBF or that commercial morning.

Conclusion: The manoproteic fraction of C. albicans does not induce a significant increase in the proliferation of MB16 tumor cells.

Example 9 Influence of the IL-1β receptor on tumor adhesion and production of TNF-α induced by FMN

IL-1β is a proinflammatory molecule that is related to TNF- since both participate in the proinflammatory response of the endothelium and, according to the literature, in the pro-inflammatory response that is activated through the mannose receptor, the synthesis and TNF- release is prior to that of IL-1ß (Vidal-Vanaclocha et al., 2000 cited at supra).

The present experiment was carried out with an IL-1β receptor antagonist molecule called IL-1Ra (IL-1 Receptor antagonist) that has already been used for this purpose (Vidal-Vanaclocha et al. 2000). Through this molecule, the IL-1β receptor was blocked and the impact this has on the increase of tumor adhesion and the production of TNF-ibe released by the endothelium when incubated with C. albicans mannoproteins was measured.

Figure 25 shows that blocking the IL-1β receptor completely inhibited the effect that mannoproteins have on tumor adhesion. While tumor cell adhesion increased by 60% when the endothelium is activated with FMN, this effect was completely inhibited when the function of the IL-1β receptor was neutralized. This implies that C. albicans mannoproteins trigger the cascade either at that point, or prior to that receptor. It is surprising, however, that the production of TNF-mbién also decreased significantly when the IL-1R is blocked. The release of TNF- which could be expected not to be affected if the pathway of cytokines were exclusively the mannose receptor was also reduced. In this case, contrary to what happened with tumor adhesion, the reduction was not total, and maintained, despite the decrease, a production of TNF- significantly greater than the control situation.

In view of the results obtained, the possibility of existence between these purified mannoproteins of C. albicans of any that could bind to this receptor and activate it directly was raised. Therefore, in order to try to identify some mannoprotein related to the activation of the IL-1β receptor, the anti-mouse IL-1ß monoclonal antibody (R&D systems) that reacts against mouse IL-1ß was used, neutralizing its biological function and , therefore, preventing it from joining its receiver. Starting from the idea that to neutralize specifically the biological function of IL-1β the antibody could recognize the epitope that cytokine uses to bind with its receptor, this antibody was also used to recognize, if any, a C. albicans mannoprotein able to join and activate the IL-1R. With this objective, a two-dimensional Western blot of Candida mannoproteins was performed against the anti-mouse antibody IL-1β.

The anti-IL-1β antibody recognized a mannoprotein that by molecular weight coincided with the FMN3 fraction, described in this invention as the one with the greatest capacity to stimulate ESH and induce an increase in tumor adhesion to this endothelium. In addition, its molecular weight is approximately in the area that has served as the boundary between FMN3 and FMN2, which also showed an important effect. At its isoelectric point, mannoprotein was also detected within the range of the fraction that showed the most effect. Therefore, this mannoprotein was an important candidate to be a stimulator of the endothelium and, therefore, of the increase in tumor adhesion to it.

The reaction obtained was reproducible in all Western blots performed. However, this reaction did not appear clearly visible in the gels stained with Coomassie blue (Figure 26). In spite of this, the gel fragment that gave reaction was extracted manually and sequenced by LC-MS / MS in the proteomics service

10 of the UPV / EHU.

Conclusion: The IL-1β receptor antagonist (IL-Ra) totally inhibits the increase in tumor adhesion to the hepatic sinusoidal endothelium induced by FMN. In addition, it partially reduces the release of TNF- by the endothelium stimulated by the

15 mannoproteins of C. albicans.

Claims (15)

1. Use of an antibody capable of binding to mannoprotein alcohol 5 Candida albicans dehydrogenase, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, and blocking the binding of said mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, to its receptor in endothelial cells, in the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for prevention and / or treatment of a metastatic process.

2.

Use according to claim 1, wherein the mannoprotein is derived from the mannoprotein fraction of C. albicans.

3.

Use according to claim 1, wherein said receptor in the cells

Endothelial is a mannose receptor, or a proinflammatory cytokine receptor, preferably, the 1 beta interleukin receptor (IL-1/3). 4. Use according to claim 1, wherein said metastatic process originates from from liver tumor. twenty

5.

Use according to claim 3, wherein said pharmaceutical composition comprises one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients.

6.

A method to identify a potentially useful compound for prevention

25 and / or the treatment of a metastatic process, which involves contacting the mannoprotein alcochol dehydrogenase of Candida albincans, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, with its receptor in the endothelial cells, and selecting a compound that blocks the binding of said mannoprotein, or functionally equivalent variant thereof, to said receptor in the cells 30 endothelial

7.

Method according to claim 6, wherein said mannoprotein alcohol dehydrogenase from Candida albicans is derived from the mannoprotein fraction of C. albicans.

8.

Method according to any of claims 6 to 7, wherein said endothelial cell receptor is a mannose receptor or a proinflammatory cytokine receptor, preferably, the beta 1 interleukin (IL-1) receptor.

9.

Method according to claim 6, wherein said metastatic process originates from liver tumor.

10.

Use of a kit comprising an antibody capable of binding to the mannoprotein alcohol dehydrogenase of Candida albicans, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, and blocking the binding of said mannoprotein, or functionally equivalent variant thereof, to its receptor of endothelial cells, for the prevention and / or treatment of a metastatic process.

eleven.

Use according to claim 10, wherein said mannoprotein is derived from the mannoprotein fraction of C. albicans.

12.

Use according to any of claims 10 to 11, wherein said receiver in

The endothelial cells is a mannose receptor or a proinflammatory cytokine receptor, preferably, the interleukin 1 beta (IL-1) receptor.

13.

Use according to any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the metastatic process originates from liver tumor.

14.

An in vitro method for predicting the probability of a patient suffering from cancer to undergo metastasis, which comprises the detection in a sample of said patient of the candida protein alcohol dehydrogenase of Candida albicans, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, wherein if said mannoprotein,

or functionally equivalent variant thereof, is detected, then said patient has a high probability of metastasizing. 15. An in vitro method for designing a personalized therapy for a patient suffering from cancer comprising the detection in a sample of said patient of the candida protein alcohol dehydrogenase of Candida albicans, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, wherein said said mannoprotein , or functionally variant thereof, is detected, then the patient is a candidate to receive a treatment based on an antibody capable of binding to said mannoprotein, or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, and blocking the binding of said mannoprotein, or Functionally equivalent variant thereof, to its receptor in endothelial cells.  FIG. one    FIG. 2   FIG. 3 FIG. 4 FIG. 5 FIG. 6 FIG. 7 FIG. 8 FIG. 9 FIG. 10 FIG. eleven FIG. 12 FIG. 13 FIG. 14 FIG. fifteen FIG. 16 FIG. 17 FIG. 18 FIG. 19 FIG. twenty FIG. twenty-one FIG. 22 FIG. 2. 3 FIG. 24 FIG. 25 FIG. 26