Research Program:
My research focuses on the inflammatory aspects of renal disease with an emphasis on the role of the innate immune system. In particular, we have focused on the complement system. Activation of the complement system contributes to renal injury in a number of different diseases including ischemic acute renal failure, progressive proteinuric renal disease, and transplant rejection. We have successfully developed several inhibitory monoclonal antibodies, and have used these agents to examine the functions of the complement system in disease models. Another focus of study has been the identification of the triggers that cause activation of these inflammatory systems during disease. Some of the techniques employed include protein chemistry and structural analysis, confocal microscopy, RT-PCR, and gene array analysis.

Key Publications:

• Thurman JM, Ljubanović D, Edelstein CL, Gilkeson G, and Holers VM. Lack of a Functional Alternative Complement Pathway Ameliorates Ischemic Acute Renal Failure in Mice. J Immunol. 170(2);1517-23, 2003.
• Thurman JM, Kraus DM, Girardi G, Kang HJ, Hourcade D, Royer PA, Mitchell L, Giclas PC, Gilkeson G, Salmon JE, and Holers VM. A Novel Inhibitor of the Alternative Complement Pathway Prevents Antiphospholipid Antibody-Induced Pregnancy Loss in Mice. Molecular Immunology, 42(1):87-97, 2005.
• Thurman JM, Lucia MS, Ljubanovic D, Holers VM. Acute tubular necrosis is characterized by activation of the alternative pathway of complement. Kidney International, 67(2):524-30.2005.
• Thurman JM and Holers VM. The central role of the alternative complement pathway in human disease. J Immunol. 176(3):1305-10, 2006.
• Thurman JM, Ljubanovic D, Royer PA, Kraus DM, Molina H, Levi M, and Holers VM. Loss of renal tubular polarization of the complement inhibitor Crry permits complement activation after ischemia/reperfusion. J Clin Invest, 116(2):357-68, 2006.
• Thurman JM, Royer PA, Ljubanovic D, Dursun B, Lenderink AM, Edelstein CL, and Holers VM. Treatment with an inhibitory monoclonal antibody to mouse factor B protects mice from the induction of apoptosis and renal ischemia/reperfusion injury. J Am Soc Nephrol, 17(3):707-15, 2006.
• Taube C, Thurman JM, Takeda K, Joetham A, Miyahara N, Carroll MC, Dakhama A, Giclas PC, Holers VM, Gelfand, EW. Factor B of the alternative complement pathway regulates development of airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation. Proc Natl Acad Sci 103(21):8084-9, 2006.
• Banda NK, Thurman JM, Kraus D, Wood A, Carroll MC, Arend WP, Holers VM Alternative complement pathway activation is essential for inflammation and joint destruction in the passive transfer model of collagen-induced arthritis. J Immunol. Aug 1;177(3):1904-12, 2006.

View of Recent Publications in PubMed