We have investigated[1] the possibility to describe infinite and symmetric nuclear matter in an approach constrained by quantum chromodynamics (QCD). More precisely, we have mapped the nucleon self-energies of a point coupling relativistic mean-field model on self-energies obtained in effective theories of QCD. We have determined the contributions to in-medium nucleon selfenergy by separating the short range part, driven principally by the quark structure of the nucleon, from the long range part, dictated by pion dynamics. * Speaker.