Pat and Willard Walker Eye Research Center
» Research Staff

Puran Bora, Ph.D.

Education:

• Kumaun University , Nainital, India
  Ph.D., Zoology and Biochemistry
• Post-doctoral Training, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

Academic Appointments:

Professor, Department of Ophthalmology

Research Interests:

Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), an eye disease which can cause loss of central vision in the population over the age of 55 years.  Our laboratory is studying the Molecular and Biochemical mechanisms of AMD in order to find a cure and/or prevention of the disease. We have shown the role of complement system in choroidal neovascularization (CNV). CNV is also called wet type AMD. We have shown for the first time, the mechanistic role of complement proteins which will help us to develop an alternative therapy for AMD. In addition to complement therapy we have several inhibitors of AMD which are currently being tested in our laboratory for their role as potential inhibitors of CNV or wet AMD. Our laboratory is also studying the mechanism of action of alcoholism in diabetic retinopathy (DR). The role of alcohol abuse in AMD and DR is not known.  We have made some interesting advancement in this area. My laboratory also collaborates with Dr. Nalini Bora‘s laboratory on AMD, Uveitis (eye disease), inflammation of the eye, and related projects.  

Selected Publications:

Bora, PS, Spilburg, CA and Lange, LG: Metabolism of ethanol and carcinogens by glutathione transferases.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 86:4470-4476, 1989.

Bora, PS, Spilburg, CA and Lange, LG: Identification of a satellite fatty acid ethyl ester synthase from human myocardium as a glutathione S-transferase.  J. Clin. Invest.  84:1942-1948, 1989.

Bora, PS, Wu, X, Spilburg, CA and Lange, LG: Purification and characterization of fatty acid ethyl ester synthase-II from human myocardium.  J. Biol. Chem. 267:13217-13221, 1992.

Sohn, J.H., Bora, P.S., Suk, J.H., Molina H., Kaplan H.J. and Bora, N.S.: Tolerance is dependent on complement fragment iC3b binding to antigen  
presenting cells.  Nature Medicine,  9 : 206-212, 2003

Bora, P.S., Hu, Z., Tezel, T.H., Sohn, J.H., Kang, S.G., Cruz J.M.C., Bora, N.S,  Garen, A and Kaplan, H.J.: Immunotherapy for choroidal eovascularization in a laser induced mouse model simulating exudative (wet) macular degeneration. Proc. Natl. Acad. of Sci. USA., 100:  2679-2684, 2003.

Bora, N.S., Sohn, J.H., Bora, P.S. ., Suk, J.H and Kaplan, H.J.:  Experimental autoimmune anterior Uveitis is a collagen vascular disease type I collagen is the auto-antigen.  J. Immunol.   172: 7086-7094, 2004.

Bora, P.S., Sohn, J.H., Cruz, J.C., Nishihori, H, Jha, P, Wang, Y., Kaplan, H.J. and Bora N.S.: Role of Complement and Complement Membrane Attack Complex in Laser-Induced Choroidal Neovascularization.    J. Immunology.   174: 491-497, 2005.

Jha, P., Sohn, J.H., Qin, X., Nishihori, H., Wang, Y, Kaplan, H.J, Nishihori, S, Manickam, B., Bora, P.S. and Bora, N.S.  Complement system plays a critical role in the development of experimental autoimmune anterior uveitis (EAAU).  Invest    Ophthalmol Vis Sci,; 47:1030-1038, 2006. 

Bora, P.S., Bora, P.S., Kaliappan, S., Xu, Q., Kumar, S., Wang, Y., Kaplan, H.J. and  Bora, N.S.  Alcohol linked to enhanced angiogenesis in rat model of choroidal Neovascularization.  FEBS Journal (European J of Biochem), 273: 1403-1414. 2006.

Jha, P., Sohn, J.H., Qin X, Wang, Y., Kaplan, H.J., Bora P.S., and Bora, N.S..  Suppression of Complement Regulatory Proteins (CRPs) Exacerbates Experimental Autoimmune Anterior Uveitis (EAAU).  J of Immunology, 176: 7221-7231, 2006.    
   
Bora, N.S., Kaliappan, S., Jha, P., Qin, X. Sohn, J. H., Dhaulakhandi, D.B., Kaplan H.J. and Bora, P.S. Complement Activation via Alternative Pathway is Critical in the Development of Laser-Induced Choroidal Neovascularization: Role of Factor B and Factor H.  J of Immunology, 177: 1872-1878, 2006

Jha, P., Bora, P.S., Sohn, J.H., Kaplan, H.J and Bora, N.S.Complement system the eye (Review article).  Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 586: 53-62, 2006.    

Bora, N.S., Kaliappan, S., Jha, P., Xu, Q., Sivasankar, B., Harris, C.L., Morgan, B.P. and Bora, P.S. CD59, a Complement Regulatory Protein, Controls Choroidal Neovascularization in Wet-type Age-related Macular Degeneration. Journal of  Immunology, 2006 (In Press).

Bora, N.S. and Kaplan, H.J.: Intraocular Diseases - Anterior Uveitis. Immune Response and the Eye. Niederkorn JY, Kaplan HJ (eds): Chem Immunol Allergy, Basel, Karger, vol 92, pp 213 – 220, 2007.

Sohn, J.H., Bora, P.S., Jha, P., Kaplan, H.J. and Bora, N.S.:"Immunosuppressive Intraocular Microenvironments: Complement, Innate Immunity and Ocular Disease" Niederkorn JY, Kaplan HJ (eds): Chem Immunol, Allergy, Basel, Karger, vol 92, pp 105 – 114, 2007.

Patents Pending: 2