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The William Harvey Research Institute - Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry

Dr Mathieu-Benoit Voisin

Mathieu-Benoit

Lecturer in Immunology

Centre: Microvascular Research

Email: m.b.voisin@qmul.ac.uk
Telephone: +44(0) 20 7882 3909

Profile

ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3001-0894

Mathieu-Benoit Voisin graduated in 2000 from the University of Bordeaux II (France) in Biological Sciences with a specialisation in Immunology. He obtained his PhD from the University of Tours (France) in 2003 and conducted post-doctoral research at Imperial College London. In 2007, he relocated with Prof Nourshargh to the William Harvey Research Institute to investigate the mechanisms of leukocyte diapedesis through blood vessels, developing new imaging techniques to visualise the responses. His work lead him to receive the Werner Risau New Investigator Award in Vascular Biology in 2010. In 2012 he was the recipient of the prestigious Versus Arthritis Career Development Fellowship to establish his own independent research programme studying neutrophil migration and functions in the lymphatic & lymphoid system.

Since 2017, Dr Voisin is a Principal Investigator and lecturer in Immunology at the Centre for Microvascular Research

Research

Group members

Researcher/Staff: Dr Jonathon Alexis Coates; Ms Julia Dielesen (PhD Student)

Summary

Neutrophils are key effectors of the innate immune response but can also contribute to the development of many acute inflammatory diseases. There is also evidence for neutrophil involvement in the regulation of the adaptive immunity and the pathogenesis of numerous chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. The precise role of neutrophils in this autoimmune disorder is unclear and the focus of my research is to elucidate the mechanisms of neutrophil migration into lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes following antigen-induced arthritis and their role in the regulation of the acquired immunity. The main hypothesis is that neutrophil entry into lymphatic vessels plays an important role in the initiation of autoimmune diseases by changes in their phenotypes and their entry to the lymphatic vascular system. The project thus aims to characterize the mechanisms of neutrophil/lymphatic vessel interactions in vivo as analyzed by intravital confocal microscopy and the implications of this response to the development of arthritis. Collectively, the project will address a previously unexplored aspect of leukocyte biology and chronic disorders thus making a significant and novel contribution to the field of inflammation.

Key Publications

Full list of publications

  1. Rolas L, Stein, Barkaway A, Reglero-Real N, Sciacca E, Yaseen M, Wang H, Vazquez-Martinez L, Golding M, Blacksell I, Giblin M, Jaworska E, Bishop C, Voisin MB, Gaston-Massuet C, Fossati-Jimack L, Pitzalis C, Cooper D, Nightingale TD, Lopez-Otin C, Lewis M, Nourshargh S. Senescent endothelial cells promote pathogenic neutrophil trafficking in inflamed tissues EMBO Journal 2024 (in press)
  2. Caxaria S, Bharde S, Fuller AM, Evans R, Thomas B, Celik P, Dell'Accio F, Yona S, Gilroy D, Voisin MB, Wood JN, Sikandar S. Neutrophils infiltrate sensory ganglia and mediate chronic widespread pain in fibromyalgia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120: e2211631120.
  3. Joulia R, Guerrero-Fonseca IM, Girbl T, Coates JA, Stein M, Vazquez-Martinez L, Lynam E, Whiteford J, Schnoor M, Voehringer D, Roers A, Nourshargh S, Voisin MB. Neutrophil breaching of the blood vessel pericyte layer during diapedesis requires mast cell-derived IL-17A. Nat Commun 2022; 13: 7029.
  4. Iqbal AJ, Krautter F, Blacksell IA, Wright RD, Austin-Williams SN, Voisin MB, Hussain MT, Law HL, Niki T, Hirashima M, Bombardieri M, Pitzalis C, Tiwari A, Nash GB, Norling LV, Cooper D. Galectin-9 mediates neutrophil capture and adhesion in a CD44 and beta2 integrin-dependent manner. FASEB J 2022; 36: e22065.
  5. Reglero-Real N, Perez-Gutierrez L, Yoshimura A, Rolas L, Garrido-Mesa J, Barkaway A, Pickworth C, Saleeb RS, Gonzalez-Nunez M, Austin-Williams SN, Cooper D, Vazquez-Martinez L, Fu T, De Rossi G, Golding M, Voisin MB, Boulanger CM, Kubota Y, Muller WA, Tooze SA, Nightingale TD, Collinson L, Perretti M, Aksoy E, Nourshargh S. Autophagy modulates endothelial junctions to restrain neutrophil diapedesis during inflammation. Immunity 2021; 54: 1989-2004 e1989.
  6. Barkaway A, Rolas L, Joulia R, Bodkin J, Lenn T, Owen-Woods C, Reglero-Real N, Stein M, Vazquez-Martinez L, Girbl T, Poston RN, Golding M, Saleeb RS, Thiriot A, von Andrian UH, Duchene J, Voisin MB, Bishop CL, Voehringer D, Roers A, Rot A, Lammermann T, Nourshargh S. Age-related changes in the local milieu of inflamed tissues cause aberrant neutrophil trafficking and subsequent remote organ damage. Immunity 2021; 54: 1494-1510 e1497.
  7. Topping LM, Thomas BL, Rhys HI, Tremoleda JL, Foster M, Seed M, Voisin MB, Vinci C, Law HL, Perretti M, Norling LV, Azevedo HS, Nissim A. Targeting Extracellular Vesicles to the Arthritic Joint Using a Damaged Cartilage-Specific Antibody. Front Immunol 2020; 11: 10.
  8. Owen-Woods C, Joulia R, Barkaway A, Rolas L, Ma B, Nottebaum AF, Arkill KP, Stein M, Girbl T, Golding M, Bates DO, Vestweber D, Voisin MB, Nourshargh S. Local microvascular leakage promotes trafficking of activated neutrophils to remote organs. J Clin Invest 2020; 130: 2301-2318.
  9. Voisin MB, Nourshargh S. Neutrophil trafficking to lymphoid tissues: physiological and pathological implications. J Pathol 2019; 247: 662-671.
  10. Voisin MB, Leoni G, Woodfin A, Loumagne L, Patel NS, Di Paola R, Cuzzocrea S, Thiemermann C, Perretti M, Nourshargh S. Neutrophil elastase plays a non-redundant role in remodeling the venular basement membrane and neutrophil diapedesis post-ischemia/reperfusion injury. J Pathol 2019; 248: 88-102.
  11. Arokiasamy S, King R, Boulaghrasse H, Poston RN, Nourshargh S, Wang W, Voisin MB. Heparanase-Dependent Remodeling of Initial Lymphatic Glycocalyx Regulates Tissue-Fluid Drainage During Acute Inflammation in vivo. Front Immunol 2019; 10: 2316.
  12. Macdougall CE, Wood EG, Loschko J, Scagliotti V, Cassidy FC, Robinson ME, Feldhahn N, Castellano L, Voisin MB, Marelli-Berg F, Gaston-Massuet C, Charalambous M, Longhi MP. Visceral Adipose Tissue Immune Homeostasis Is Regulated by the Crosstalk between Adipocytes and Dendritic Cell Subsets. Cell Metab 2018; 27: 588-601 e584.
  13. Girbl T, Lenn T, Perez L, Rolas L, Barkaway A, Thiriot A, Del Fresno C, Lynam E, Hub E, Thelen M, Graham G, Alon R, Sancho D, von Andrian UH, Voisin MB, Rot A, Nourshargh S. Distinct Compartmentalization of the Chemokines CXCL1 and CXCL2 and the Atypical Receptor ACKR1 Determine Discrete Stages of Neutrophil Diapedesis. Immunity 2018; 49: 1062-1076 e1066.
  14. Arokiasamy S, Zakian C, Dilliway J, Wang W, Nourshargh S, Voisin MB. Endogenous TNFalpha orchestrates the trafficking of neutrophils into and within lymphatic vessels during acute inflammation. Sci Rep 2017; 7: 44189.
  15. Woodfin A, Beyrau M, Voisin MB, Ma B, Whiteford JR, Hordijk PL, Hogg N, Nourshargh S. ICAM-1-expressing neutrophils exhibit enhanced effector functions in murine models of endotoxemia. Blood 2016; 127: 898-907.
  16. Schnoor M, Alcaide P, Voisin MB, van Buul JD. Recruitment of Immune Cells into Inflamed Tissues: Consequences for Endothelial Barrier Integrity and Tissue Functionality. Mediators Inflamm 2016; 2016: 1561368.
  17. Herrera C, Voisin MB, Escalante T, Rucavado A, Nourshargh S, Gutierrez JM. Effects of PI and PIII Snake Venom Haemorrhagic Metalloproteinases on the Microvasculature: A Confocal Microscopy Study on the Mouse Cremaster Muscle. PLoS One 2016; 11: e0168643.
  18. Schnoor M, Alcaide P, Voisin MB, van Buul JD. Crossing the Vascular Wall: Common and Unique Mechanisms Exploited by Different Leukocyte Subsets during Extravasation. Mediators Inflamm 2015; 2015: 946509.
  19. Herrera C, Escalante T, Voisin MB, Rucavado A, Morazan D, Macedo JK, Calvete JJ, Sanz L, Nourshargh S, Gutierrez JM, Fox JW. Tissue localization and extracellular matrix degradation by PI, PII and PIII snake venom metalloproteinases: clues on the mechanisms of venom-induced hemorrhage. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9: e0003731.
  20. Finsterbusch M, Voisin MB, Beyrau M, Williams TJ, Nourshargh S. Neutrophils recruited by chemoattractants in vivo induce microvascular plasma protein leakage through secretion of TNF. J Exp Med 2014; 211: 1307-1314.
  21. Voisin MB, Nourshargh S. Neutrophil transmigration: emergence of an adhesive cascade within venular walls. J Innate Immun 2013; 5: 336-347.
  22. Proebstl D, Voisin MB, Woodfin A, Whiteford J, D'Acquisto F, Jones GE, Rowe D, Nourshargh S. Pericytes support neutrophil subendothelial cell crawling and breaching of venular walls in vivo. J Exp Med 2012; 209: 1219-1234.
  23. Woodfin A, Voisin MB, Beyrau M, Colom B, Caille D, Diapouli FM, Nash GB, Chavakis T, Albelda SM, Rainger GE, Meda P, Imhof BA, Nourshargh S. The junctional adhesion molecule JAM-C regulates polarized transendothelial migration of neutrophils in vivo. Nat Immunol 2011; 12: 761-769.
  24. Woodfin A, Voisin MB, Nourshargh S. Recent developments and complexities in neutrophil transmigration. Curr Opin Hematol 2010; 17: 9-17.
  25. Voisin MB, Probstl D, Nourshargh S. Venular basement membranes ubiquitously express matrix protein low-expression regions: characterization in multiple tissues and remodeling during inflammation. Am J Pathol 2010; 176: 482-495.
  26. Leoni G, Voisin MB, Carlson K, Getting S, Nourshargh S, Perretti M. The melanocortin MC(1) receptor agonist BMS-470539 inhibits leucocyte trafficking in the inflamed vasculature. Br J Pharmacol 2010; 160: 171-180.
  27. Woodfin A, Voisin MB, Imhof BA, Dejana E, Engelhardt B, Nourshargh S. Endothelial cell activation leads to neutrophil transmigration as supported by the sequential roles of ICAM-2, JAM-A, and PECAM-1. Blood 2009; 113: 6246-6257.
  28. Voisin MB, Woodfin A, Nourshargh S. Monocytes and neutrophils exhibit both distinct and common mechanisms in penetrating the vascular basement membrane in vivo. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2009; 29: 1193-1199.
  29. Scheiermann C, Colom B, Meda P, Patel NS, Voisin MB, Marrelli A, Woodfin A, Pitzalis C, Thiemermann C, Aurrand-Lions M, Imhof BA, Nourshargh S. Junctional adhesion molecule-C mediates leukocyte infiltration in response to ischemia reperfusion injury. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2009; 29: 1509-1515.
  30. Young RE, Voisin MB, Wang S, Dangerfield J, Nourshargh S. Role of neutrophil elastase in LTB4-induced neutrophil transmigration in vivo assessed with a specific inhibitor and neutrophil elastase deficient mice. Br J Pharmacol 2007; 151: 628-637.
  31. Woodfin A, Voisin MB, Nourshargh S. PECAM-1: a multi-functional molecule in inflammation and vascular biology. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2007; 27: 2514-2523.
  32. Woodfin A, Reichel CA, Khandoga A, Corada M, Voisin MB, Scheiermann C, Haskard DO, Dejana E, Krombach F, Nourshargh S. JAM-A mediates neutrophil transmigration in a stimulus-specific manner in vivo: evidence for sequential roles for JAM-A and PECAM-1 in neutrophil transmigration. Blood 2007; 110: 1848-1856.
  33. Wang S, Voisin MB, Larbi KY, Dangerfield J, Scheiermann C, Tran M, Maxwell PH, Sorokin L, Nourshargh S. Venular basement membranes contain specific matrix protein low expression regions that act as exit points for emigrating neutrophils. J Exp Med 2006; 203: 1519-1532.
  34. Voisin MB, Buzoni-Gatel D, Bout D, Velge-Roussel F. Both expansion of regulatory GR1+ CD11b+ myeloid cells and anergy of T lymphocytes participate in hyporesponsiveness of the lung-associated immune system during acute toxoplasmosis. Infect Immun 2004; 72: 5487-5492.
  35. Voisin MB, Bitard J, Daburon S, Moreau JF, Taupin JL. Separate functions for the two modules of the membrane-proximal cytokine binding domain of glycoprotein 190, the leukemia inhibitory factor low affinity receptor, in ligand binding and receptor activation. J Biol Chem 2002; 277: 13682-13692.

Sponsors

Collaborators

Internal: Prof S. Nourshargh (WHRI), Prof C. Pitzalis (WHRI), Prof M. Perretti (WHRI), Dr P Longhi (WHRI), Prof A Nissim (WHRI), Prof F Marelli-Berg (WHRI), Dr M. Capasso (BCI), Dr Esther Castellano Sanchez (BCI).

External: Prof Q. Sattentau (Oxford), Prof R Chambers (UCL), Prof J Greenwood (UCL), Prof J. Gutierrez (Costa Rica). Prof Ed Rainger (University of Birmingham)

News

  • Dr. Mathieu-Benoit Voisin awarded Arthritis Research UK Fellowship (January 2012). 
  • Dr. Mathieu-Benoit Voisin awarded Young Investigator Award (Best oral presentation) at the international meeting of “Neutrophil in Immunity”, Quebec, Canada (June 2012).
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