Elodie MASSON
Researcher
elodie.masson@inrae.fr
Position
Research Scientist, INRAE
- PhD Biochemistry
Activities
Research theme
The retina, which is a direct extension of the brain, is especially rich in lipids playing various roles required for its proper function. Among those lipids, I am interested in two specific classes:
• Cholesterol and oxysterols: I strive to define the importance of retinal cholesterol efflux pathways, especially via cholesterol hydroxylases, for retina’s structure and function, and to determine how oxysterols, products of these enzymes, take part in neuron-glia interactions supporting retina’s health. Focus is put on Müller cells and retinal ganglion cells, which are targeted during glaucoma, one of the main neurodegenerative diseases of the retina. I also aim to better understand the impact of cholesterolemia on retinal cholesterol metabolism and the development of retinal pathologies.
• Gangliosides: while the importance of these wide family of membrane glycolipids in the nervous system is well recognized, their role in the retina still needs to be clarified. My goal is therefore to precise the roles played by gangliosides in retina’s structure and function, and in retina’s neurodegenerative diseases. Gangliosides being major bioactive compounds of human milk, I also study what influences their biodisponibility, and especially the maternal and infant diet.
• Cholesterol and oxysterols: I strive to define the importance of retinal cholesterol efflux pathways, especially via cholesterol hydroxylases, for retina’s structure and function, and to determine how oxysterols, products of these enzymes, take part in neuron-glia interactions supporting retina’s health. Focus is put on Müller cells and retinal ganglion cells, which are targeted during glaucoma, one of the main neurodegenerative diseases of the retina. I also aim to better understand the impact of cholesterolemia on retinal cholesterol metabolism and the development of retinal pathologies.
• Gangliosides: while the importance of these wide family of membrane glycolipids in the nervous system is well recognized, their role in the retina still needs to be clarified. My goal is therefore to precise the roles played by gangliosides in retina’s structure and function, and in retina’s neurodegenerative diseases. Gangliosides being major bioactive compounds of human milk, I also study what influences their biodisponibility, and especially the maternal and infant diet.
Other activities
Leader of the CSGA ethics, professional conduct and scientific integrity committee, CSGA.
Key words
Gangliosides, Cholesterol, Oxysterols, Neurone-glia interaction, Glaucoma, Lipidomics, Milk, Perinatal nutrition
Key publications
- Masson EAY, Serrano J, Leger-Chranay E, Acar N (2024). Cholesterol and oxysterols in retrinal neuron-glia interactions: relevance for glaucoma. Frontiers in ophthalmology, 3:1303649.
- Léger-Charnay E, Gambert S, Martine L, Dubus E, Maire M-A, Buteau B, Morala T, Gigot V, Bron AM, Bretillon L, Masson EAY (2022). Retinal cholesterol metabolism is perturbated in response to experimental glaucoma in the rat. PlosOne, 17(3):e0264787. https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03728218
- Ducrocq F, Walle R, Contini A, Oummadi A, Caraballo B, van der Veldt S, Boyer M-L, Aby F, Tolentino-Cortez T, Helbling J-C, Martine L, Grégoire S, Cabaret S, Vancassel S, Layé S, Kang JS, Fioramonti X, Berdeaux O, Barreda-Gómez G, Masson E, Ferreira G, Ma D.W.L, Bosch-Bouju C, De Smedt-Peyrusse V, Trifilieff P (2020) Causal Link between n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Deficiency and Motivation Deficits. Cell. Metab., 7;31(4):755-772.e7. https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-02550371
- Léger-Charnay E, Masson EAY, Morala T, Martine L; Buteau B, Leclere L, Bretillon L, Gambert S (2019) Is 24(S)-hydroxycholesterol a potent modulator of cholesterol metabolism in Müller cells? An in vitro study about neuron to glia communication in the retina. Exp Eye Res., 189:107857. https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-02622461
- Khoury S, Masson E, Sibille E, Cabaret S, Berdeaux O (2018) Rapid sample preparation for ganglioside analysis by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. J. Chrom. B, 1137: 121956. https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-02625080
- Le Bon A-M, Deprêtre N, Sibille E, Cabaret S, Grégoire S, Soubeyre V, Masson E, Acar N, Bretillon L, Grosmaitre X, Berdeaux O (2018). Comprehensive study of rodent olfactory tissue lipid composition. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, 131 (2018) 32–43. https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-02626619
- Sibille E, Berdeaux O, Martine L, Bron AM, Creuzot-Garcher CP, He Z, Thuret G, Bretillon L, Masson EAY (2016). Ganglioside Profiling of the Human Retina: Comparison with Other Ocular Structures, Brain and Plasma Reveals Tissue Specificities. PLoS One, 11(12):e0168794. https://u-bourgogne.hal.science/hal-01493194
- Masson EA, Sibille E, Martine L, Chaux-Picquet F, Bretillon L, Berdeaux O (2015). Apprehending ganglioside diversity: a comprehensive methodological approach. J. Lipid Res., 56(9): 1821-35. https://hal.science/hal-01187490