Full Professor UCLouvain (Translational Research)
Hon. FNRS Research Director
MS Pharm 1990, MS Biomed Sci 1992, PhD 1995, 'Agreg Ens Sup' 2005
PhD in Molecular Pharmacology, UCLouvain, Brussels (1990-95)
Post-doctoral fellow and Research Associate at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Boston (1996-98)
FNRS carreer at UCLouvain, Brussels : 'Chargé de Recherches' (1998-2000) , 'Chercheur Qualifié' (1999-2005), 'Maître de recherche' (2005-2008), 'Directeur de recherche' (2009-2011).
Olivier Feron est directeur de recherche honoraire du FRS-FNRS et Professeur à l'UCLouvain où il enseigne la pharmacologie, la physiologie et la pathologie au sein des facultés de Pharmacie et des Sciences Biomédicales, et de Médecine. Après un doctorat en Pharmacologie moléculaire, il a poursuivi ses recherches à l'Harvard Medical School et au Brigham and Women’s Hospital à Boston aux Etats-Unis comme chercheur post-doctoral et ensuite Instructor in Medicine. De retour en Belgique, il a établi son propre laboratoire, progressivement modifiant le focus de sa recherche de la thématique cardiovasculaire vers l'oncologie. La fertilisation croisée entre ces deux domaines fut un facteur clé dans l'identification par son laboratoire des caveolae comme des plateformes signalétiques uniques régulant l'activité de la NO synthase endothéliale et l'angiogenèse tumorale. Cette expertise mixte est également à la base de la démonstration de l'intérêt des substances vasomodulatrices pour améliorer l'efficacité de la chimio- et la radiothérapie.
Parmi les découvertes plus récentes à l'actif du groupe de recherche de O. Feron, on peut noter l'association entre hypoxie cyclique et agressivité tumorale, le rôle du lactate comme acteur clé de la symbiose métabolique tumorale, le shift métabolique du glucose vers les acides gras et la glutamine en réponse à l'acidose du microenvironnement tumoral, et le lien entre acides gras polyinsaturés, goutelettes lipidiques and ferroptose.
Olivier Feron a obtenu plusieurs prix dont le prix Galien en 2000, le prix Eugène De Somer en 2008, le prix Lambertine Lacroix en 2010, le prix Pfizer en 2011, le prix Tytgat en 2017 et le prix Allard-Janssen 2021. Il est également éditeur-en-chef du journal Frontiers in Pharmacology of Anti-Cancer Drugs et membre de l'Académie Royale de Médecine depuis 2009.
Publications
Publications depuis 2000 :
Corbet C, Bastien E, Draoui N, Doix B, Mignion L, Jordan BF, Marchand A, Vanherck JC, Chaltin P, Schakman O, Becker HM, Riant O and Feron O. Interruption of lactate uptake by inhibiting mitochondrial pyruvate transport unravels tumor growth inhibitory and radiosensitizing effects. Nature Comm 2018.
Corbet C, Feron O. Tumor acidosis : from the passenger to the driver's seat. Nature Rev Cancer 2017, Oct;17(10):577-593.
Corbet C, Pinto A, Martherus R, Santiago de Jesus JP, Polet F, Feron O. Acidosis Drives the Reprogramming of Fatty Acid Metabolism in Cancer Cells through Changes in Mitochondrial and Histone Acetylation. Cell Metabolism 2016, Aug 9;24(2):311-23
Pinto A, Mace Y, Drouet F, Bony E, Boidot R, Draoui N, Lobysheva I, Corbet C, Polet F, Martherus R, Deraedt Q, Rodríguez J, Lamy C, Schicke O, Delvaux D, Louis C, Kiss R, Kriegsheim AV, Dessy C, Elias B, Quetin-Leclercq J, Riant O, Feron O. ER-specific photosensitizer unravels (1)O2-driven protein oxidation and inhibition of deubiquitinases as a generic mechanism for cancer PDT. Oncogene 2016 Jul; 35(30):3976-85
Corbet C, Ragelle H, Pourcelle V, Vanvarenberg K, Marchand-Brynaert J, Préat V, Feron O.Delivery of siRNA targeting tumor metabolism using non-covalent PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles: Identification of an optimal combination of ligand structure, linker and grafting method. J Control Release. 2016 Feb 10;223:53-63
Corbet C, Draoui N, Polet F, Pinto A, Drozak X, Riant O, Feron O. The SIRT1/HIF-2α axis drives reductive glutamine metabolism under chronic acidosis and alters tumor response to therapy. Cancer Res. 2014 Oct 1;74(19):5507-19.
Draoui N, Schicke O, Seront E, Bouzin C, Sonveaux P, Riant O, Feron O. Antitumor activity of 7-aminocarboxycoumarin derivatives, a new class of potent inhibitors of lactate influx but not efflux. Mol Cancer Ther. 2014 Jun;13(6):1410-8.
Seront E, Boidot R, Bouzin C, Karroum O, Jordan BF, Gallez B, Machiels JP, Feron O. Tumour hypoxia determines the potential of combining mTOR and autophagy inhibitors to treat mammary tumours. Br J Cancer. 2013 Nov 12;109(10):2597-606.
Seront E, Pinto A, Bouzin C, Bertrand L, Machiels JP, Feron O. PTEN deficiency is associated with reduced sensitivity to mTOR inhibitor in human bladder cancer through the unhampered feedback loop driving PI3K/Akt activation. Br J Cancer. 2013 Sep 17;109(6):1586-92.
Boidot R, Vegran F, Meulle A, Le BA, Dessy C, Sonveaux P, Lizard-Nacol S, Feron O. Regulation of monocarboxylate transporter MCT1 expression by p53 mediates inward and outward lactate fluxes in tumors. Cancer Res 2012;72:939-48.
Seront E, Rottey S, Sautois B, Kerger J, D'Hondt LA, Verschaeve V, Canon JL, Dopchie C, Vandenbulcke JM, Whenham N, Goeminne JC, Clausse M, Verhoeven D, Glorieux P, Branders S, Dupont P, Schoonjans J, Feron O, Machiels JP. Phase II study of everolimus in patients with locally advanced or metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract: clinical activity, molecular response, and biomarkers. Ann Oncol 2012.
Defresne F, Bouzin C, Grandjean M, Dieu M, Raes M, Hatzopoulos AK, Kupatt C, Feron O. Preconditioned endothelial progenitor cells reduce formation of melanoma metastases through SPARC-driven cell-cell interactions and endocytosis. Cancer Res 2011;71:4748-57.
Vegran F, Boidot R, Michiels C, Sonveaux P, Feron O. Lactate influx through the endothelial cell monocarboxylate transporter MCT1 supports an NF-kappaB/IL-8 pathway that drives tumor angiogenesis. Cancer Res 2011;71:2550-60.
Defresne F, Bouzin C, Guilbaud C, Dieu M, Delaive E, Michiels C, Raes M, Feron O. Differential influence of anticancer treatments and angiogenesis on the seric titer of autoantibody used as tumor and metastasis biomarker. Neoplasia 2010;12:562-70.
Daneau G, Boidot R, Martinive P, Feron O. Identification of cyclooxygenase-2 as a major actor of the transcriptomic adaptation of endothelial and tumor cells to cyclic hypoxia: effect on angiogenesis and metastases. Clin Cancer Res 2010;16:410-9.
Frerart F, Lobysheva I, Gallez B, Dessy C, Feron O. Vascular caveolin deficiency supports the angiogenic effects of nitrite, a major end product of nitric oxide metabolism in tumors. Mol Cancer Res 2009;7:1056-63.
Sonveaux P, Vegran F, Schroeder T, Wergin MC, Verrax J, Rabbani ZN, De Saedeleer CJ, Kennedy KM, Diepart C, Jordan BF, Kelley MJ, Gallez B, Wahl ML, Dewhirst MW*, Feron O* Targeting lactate-fueled respiration selectively kills hypoxic tumor cells in mice. J Clin Invest 2008;118:3930-42.
Frerart F, Sonveaux P, Rath G, Smoos A, Meqor A, Charlier N, Jordan BF, Saliez J, Noel A, Dessy C, Gallez B, Feron O. The acidic tumor microenvironment promotes the reconversion of nitrite into nitric oxide: towards a new and safe radiosensitizing strategy. Clin Cancer Res 2008;14:2768-74.
Dewever J, Frerart F, Bouzin C, Baudelet C, Ansiaux R, Sonveaux P, Gallez B, Dessy C, Feron O. Caveolin-1 is critical for the maturation of tumor blood vessels through the regulation of both endothelial tube formation and mural cell recruitment. Am J Pathol 2007;171:1619-28.
Bouzin C, Brouet A, De VJ, Dewever J, Feron O. Effects of vascular endothelial growth factor on the lymphocyte-endothelium interactions: identification of caveolin-1 and nitric oxide as control points of endothelial cell anergy. J Immunol 2007;178:1505-11.
Martinive P, Defresne F, Bouzin C, Saliez J, Lair F, Gregoire V, Michiels C, Dessy C, Feron O. Preconditioning of the tumor vasculature and tumor cells by intermittent hypoxia: implications for anticancer therapies. Cancer Res 2006;66:11736-44.
Martinive P, De WJ, Bouzin C, Baudelet C, Sonveaux P, Gregoire V, Gallez B, Feron O. Reversal of temporal and spatial heterogeneities in tumor perfusion identifies the tumor vascular tone as a tunable variable to improve drug delivery. Mol Cancer Ther 2006;5:1620-7.
Sbaa E, Dewever J, Martinive P, Bouzin C, Frerart F, Balligand JL, Dessy C, Feron O. Caveolin plays a central role in endothelial progenitor cell mobilization and homing in SDF-1-driven postischemic vasculogenesis. Circ Res 2006;98:1219-27.
Brouet A, Dewever J, Martinive P, Havaux X, Bouzin C, Sonveaux P, Feron O. Antitumor effects of in vivo caveolin gene delivery are associated with the inhibition of the proangiogenic and vasodilatory effects of nitric oxide. FASEB J 2005;19:602-4.
Sonveaux P, Martinive P, Dewever J, Batova Z, Daneau G, Pelat M, Ghisdal P, Gregoire V, Dessy C, Balligand JL, Feron O. Caveolin-1 expression is critical for vascular endothelial growth factor-induced ischemic hindlimb collateralization and nitric oxide-mediated angiogenesis. Circ Res 2004;95:154-61.
Kupatt C, Dessy C, Hinkel R, Raake P, Daneau G, Bouzin C, Boekstegers P, Feron O. Heat shock protein 90 transfection reduces ischemia-reperfusion-induced myocardial dysfunction via reciprocal endothelial NO synthase serine 1177 phosphorylation and threonine 495 dephosphorylation. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2004;24:1435-41.
Sonveaux P, Dessy C, Martinive P, Havaux X, Jordan BF, Gallez B, Gregoire V, Balligand JL, Feron O. Endothelin-1 is a critical mediator of myogenic tone in tumor arterioles: implications for cancer treatment. Cancer Res 2004;64:3209-14.
Sonveaux P, Brouet A, Havaux X, Gregoire V, Dessy C, Balligand JL, Feron O. Irradiation-induced angiogenesis through the up-regulation of the nitric oxide pathway: implications for tumor radiotherapy. Cancer Res 2003;63:1012-9.
Sonveaux P, Dessy C, Brouet A, Jordan BF, Grégoire V, Gallez B, Balligand JL, Feron O. Modulation of the tumor vasculature functionality by ionizing radiation accounts for tumor radiosensitization and promotes gene delivery. FASEB J. 2002 Dec;16(14):1979-81.
Brouet A, Sonveaux P, Dessy C, Moniotte S, Balligand JL, Feron O. Hsp90 and caveolin are key targets for the proangiogenic nitric oxide-mediated effects of statins. Circ Res. 2001 Nov 9;89(10):866-73.
Brouet A, Sonveaux P, Dessy C, Balligand JL, Feron O. Hsp90 ensures the transition from the early Ca2+-dependent to the late phosphorylation-dependent activation of the endothelial nitric-oxide synthase in vascular endothelial growth factor-exposed endothelial cells. J Biol Chem. 2001 Aug 31;276(35):32663-9.
Dessy C, Kelly RA, Balligand JL, Feron O. Dynamin mediates caveolar sequestration of muscarinic cholinergic receptors and alteration in NO signaling. EMBO J. 2000 Aug 15;19(16):4272-80.