Dr. Virginie Mattot, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator
Group Leader

Career

The research group led by V. Mattot investigates the brain extracellular matrix (ECM) and its role in the physiopathological regulation of energy homeostasis. The brain, particularly the hypothalamus, governs energy homeostasis—the equilibrium between energy intake and expenditure—by detecting fluctuations in circulating metabolic hormones and initiating adaptive peripheral responses. This sensing process occurs within a brain-specific extracellular environment rich in proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans whose functions in regulating energy homeostasis remain poorly understood.

Our goals are to elucidate:
• The role of ECM components in the diffusion and distribution of circulating metabolic hormones within the brain.
• The role of brain ECM components in the neuronal signalling pathways of metabolic hormones.

Research Topics:
• Hypothalamus ECM composition and potential plasticity under physiological or pathological conditions (obesity, diabetes).
• Interactions between brain ECM and metabolic hormones or their receptors, and the consequences of these interactions.

Academic position

Current position:
2018- Senior Research associate (CRCN)-CNRS
INSERM UMRS-1172 (Lille)

Past positions:
2010-2018 Senior Research associate (CR1)-CNRS
CNRS UMR8161 (Lille, France)

2001-2009 Research associate (CR2)-CNRS
CNRS UMR8526 (Lille, France)

2000-2001 Postdoctoral fellow (ARC fellowship)
CNRS UMR8526 (Lille, France)

1998-2000 Postdoctoral fellow (Marie Curie fellowship)
Center for transgene technology and gene therapy (Leuven, Belgique)

Biosketch:
Between 2001 and 2018, Virginie Mattot has acquired expertise in vascular biology, initially focusing on both normal and tumor angiogenesis. In this context, she has investigated the regulation of endothelial extracellular matrix deposition—including elastin, Fibrillins, Fibulins, and MAGP—by Egfl7, a novel factor secreted by endothelial cells that she contributed to identifying. Given that Egfl7 is the host gene for miR-126, a microRNA crucial for angiogenesis, she also conducted studies on the functions of this microRNA in both endothelial and neuronal cells. Since 2018, she has joined the Lille Neuroendocrinology team to study the hypothalamic extracellular matrix and its role in the sensing of circulating metabolic hormones by key neurons involved in metabolic regulations.

Participation to scientific commitees:
2025 Member of grant review panel, Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR)
2005-2008 Member of evaluation committee for Associate Professor position (Lille, Grenoble)

A plastic aggrecan barrier modulated by peripheral energy state gates metabolic signal access to arcuate neurons Nat. Commun. 2024 Aug 7;15(1):6701.
Kuczynski-Noyau L, Karmann S, Alberton P, Martinez-Corral I, Nampoothiri S, Sauvé F, Lhomme T, Apte SS, Bouret S, Aszodi A, Rasika S, Dam J, Prévot V and Mattot V.
MAGP-1 and fibronectin control EGFL7 functions by driving its deposition into distinct endothelial extracellular matrix locations. FEBS J. 2018 Dec;285(23):4394-4412.
Villain G, Lelievre E, Broekelmann T, Gayet O, Havet C, Werkmeister E, Mecham R, Dusetti N, Soncin F, Mattot V.
miR-126-5p promotes retinal endothelial cell survival through SetD5 regulation in neurons. Development. 2018 Jan 8;145(1).
Villain G, Poissonnier L, Noueihed B, Bonfils G, Rivera JC, Chemtob S, Soncin F, and Mattot V.
Endothelial Cell Activation Is Regulated by Epidermal Growth Factor−like Domain 7 (Egfl7) during Inflammation. J Biol Chem. 2016 Nov 11;291(46):24017−24028.
Pinte S, Caetano B, Le Bras A, Havet C, Villain G, Dernayka R, Duez C, Mattot V, Soncin F.
miR126-5p repression of ALCAM and SetD5 in endothelial cells regulates leukocyte adhesion and transmigration. Cardiovasc Res. 2014 Jun 1;102(3):436-47.
Poissonnier L, Villain G, Soncin F, Mattot V.
Egfl7 promotes tumor escape from immunity by repressing endothelial cell activation. Cancer Res. 2011 Dec 1;71(23):7176-86.
Delfortrie S, Pinte S, Mattot V, Samson C, Villain G, Caetano B, Lauridant-Philippin G, Baranzelli MC, Bonneterre J, Trottein F, Faveeuw C, Soncin F.
VE-statin/egfl7 regulates vascular elastogenesis by interacting with lysyl oxidases. EMBO J. 2008 ; 27 : 1658-70.
Lelièvre E, Hinek A, Lupu F, Buquet C, Soncin F, Mattot V.
VE-statin, an endothelial repressor of smooth muscle cell migration. EMBO J. 2003 ; 22 : 5700-11.
Soncin F, Mattot V, Lionneton F, Spruyt N, Lepretre F, Begue A, Stehelin D.
Loss of the VEGF(164) and VEGF(188) isoforms impairs postnatal glomerular angiogenesis and renal arteriogenesis in mice. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2002 ; 13 :1548-60.
Mattot V, Moons L, Lupu F, Chernavvsky D, Gomez RA, Collen D, Carmeliet P.
Targeted deficiency or cytosolic truncation of the VE-cadherin gene in mice impairs VEGF-mediated endothelial survival and angiogenesis. Cell. 1999 ; 98 :147-57.
Carmeliet P, Lampugnani MG, Moons L, Breviario F, Compernolle V, Bono F, Balconi G, Spagnuolo R, Oostuyse B, Dewerchin M, Zanetti A, Angellilo A, Mattot V, Nuyens D, Lutgens E, Clotman F, de Ruiter MC, Gittenberger-de Groot A, Poelmann R, Lupu F, Herbert JM, Collen D, Dejana E.

2024
• Prize “Research project” Institut Benjamin Delessert

2021-2025
• ANR “MetaboGate”

2013
• Prize Roche “Angiogenesis”
• Before 2013 Fondation ARC, Fondation Ligue contre le Cancer, Fondation FRM, Cancéropôle Nord-Ouest.

Selected publications

A plastic aggrecan barrier modulated by peripheral energy state gates metabolic signal access to arcuate neurons Nat. Commun. 2024 Aug 7;15(1):6701.
Kuczynski-Noyau L, Karmann S, Alberton P, Martinez-Corral I, Nampoothiri S, Sauvé F, Lhomme T, Apte SS, Bouret S, Aszodi A, Rasika S, Dam J, Prévot V and Mattot V.
MAGP-1 and fibronectin control EGFL7 functions by driving its deposition into distinct endothelial extracellular matrix locations. FEBS J. 2018 Dec;285(23):4394-4412.
Villain G, Lelievre E, Broekelmann T, Gayet O, Havet C, Werkmeister E, Mecham R, Dusetti N, Soncin F, Mattot V.
miR-126-5p promotes retinal endothelial cell survival through SetD5 regulation in neurons. Development. 2018 Jan 8;145(1).
Villain G, Poissonnier L, Noueihed B, Bonfils G, Rivera JC, Chemtob S, Soncin F, and Mattot V.
Endothelial Cell Activation Is Regulated by Epidermal Growth Factor−like Domain 7 (Egfl7) during Inflammation. J Biol Chem. 2016 Nov 11;291(46):24017−24028.
Pinte S, Caetano B, Le Bras A, Havet C, Villain G, Dernayka R, Duez C, Mattot V, Soncin F.
miR126-5p repression of ALCAM and SetD5 in endothelial cells regulates leukocyte adhesion and transmigration. Cardiovasc Res. 2014 Jun 1;102(3):436-47.
Poissonnier L, Villain G, Soncin F, Mattot V.
Egfl7 promotes tumor escape from immunity by repressing endothelial cell activation. Cancer Res. 2011 Dec 1;71(23):7176-86.
Delfortrie S, Pinte S, Mattot V, Samson C, Villain G, Caetano B, Lauridant-Philippin G, Baranzelli MC, Bonneterre J, Trottein F, Faveeuw C, Soncin F.
VE-statin/egfl7 regulates vascular elastogenesis by interacting with lysyl oxidases. EMBO J. 2008 ; 27 : 1658-70.
Lelièvre E, Hinek A, Lupu F, Buquet C, Soncin F, Mattot V.
VE-statin, an endothelial repressor of smooth muscle cell migration. EMBO J. 2003 ; 22 : 5700-11.
Soncin F, Mattot V, Lionneton F, Spruyt N, Lepretre F, Begue A, Stehelin D.
Loss of the VEGF(164) and VEGF(188) isoforms impairs postnatal glomerular angiogenesis and renal arteriogenesis in mice. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2002 ; 13 :1548-60.
Mattot V, Moons L, Lupu F, Chernavvsky D, Gomez RA, Collen D, Carmeliet P.
Targeted deficiency or cytosolic truncation of the VE-cadherin gene in mice impairs VEGF-mediated endothelial survival and angiogenesis. Cell. 1999 ; 98 :147-57.
Carmeliet P, Lampugnani MG, Moons L, Breviario F, Compernolle V, Bono F, Balconi G, Spagnuolo R, Oostuyse B, Dewerchin M, Zanetti A, Angellilo A, Mattot V, Nuyens D, Lutgens E, Clotman F, de Ruiter MC, Gittenberger-de Groot A, Poelmann R, Lupu F, Herbert JM, Collen D, Dejana E.

Team members

Sixtine Karmann
Ph.D. student
Margot Ban
Master 2 student