The present invention provides reagents and methods for modulating cone photoreceptor activity, and devices for assessment of cone photoreceptor activity.

Described are nucleic acid regulatory elements that are able to enhance liver-specific expression of genes, methods employing these regulatory elements and uses of these elements. Expression cassettes and vectors containing these nucleic acid regulatory elements are also disclosed. These are particularly useful for applications using gene therapy.

The present invention relates to a gene therapy vector which is useful in the treatment or prevention of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a subject in need thereof. The gene therapy vector of the invention comprises a nucleic acid sequence encoding a cardiac sarcomeric protein and a cardiomyocyte-specific promoter which is operably linked to said nucleic acid sequence. The invention furthermore relates to a cell which comprises the gene therapy vector. Pharmaceutical compositions which comprise the gene therapy vector and/or a cell comprising said vector are also provided. In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for treating or preventing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a subject by introducing the gene therapy vector of the invention into a subject in need of treatment.

Nucleases and methods of using these nucleases for expressing a transgene from a safe harbor locus in a secretory tissue, and clones and animals derived therefrom.

The present invention relates to vectors containing liver-specific regulatory sequences and codon-optimized factor IX or factor VIII genes, methods employing these vectors and uses of these vectors. Expression cassettes and vectors containing these liver-specific regulatory elements and codon-optimized factor IX or factor VIII genes are also disclosed. The present invention is particularly useful for applications using gene therapy, in particular for the treatment of hemophilia A and B.

This disclosure provides methods and compositions for treating disorders or injuries that affect motor function and control in a subject. In one aspect, the invention a transgene product is delivered to a subject’s spinal cord by administering a recombinant neurotrophic viral vector containing the transgene to the brain. The viral vector delivers the transgene to a region of the brain which is susceptible to infection by the virus and which expresses the encoded recombinant viral gene product. Also provided are compositions for delivery of a transgene product to a subject’s spinal cord by administering a recombinant neurotrophic viral vector containing the transgene to the subject’s brain.

The present invention relates to vectors containing liver-specific regulatory sequences and codon-optimized factor IX or factor VIII genes, methods employing these vectors and uses of these vectors. Expression cassettes and vectors containing these liver-specific regulatory elements and codon-optimized factor IX or factor VIII genes are also disclosed. The present invention is particularly useful for applications using gene therapy, in particular for the treatment of hemophilia A and B.

The present application describes a method of regenerating nerve, which steps include generating a recombinant viral or plasmid vector comprising a DNA sequence encoding a member of a transforming growth factor superfamily of proteins operatively linked to a promoter; transfecting in vitro a population of cultured cells with the recombinant vector, resulting in a population of the cultured cells; and transplanting the transfected cells to an area near an injured nerve, such that expression of the DNA sequence within the area near the injured nerve causes regeneration of the nerve.

Drug compositions of angiogenesis therapy contain gene coding for human prostacyclin synthase (hPGIS) synthesizing prostaglandin I.sub.2 with activities of vasodialation and/or anti-platelet aggregation; drug compositions contain adeno-associated virus (AAV) inserted with gene for angiogenesis factors. The administration of the drug compositions into the aimed treatment region results in transfer of AAV type 1-hPGIS to skeletal muscles and induces a notable expression of human PGIS gene in skeletal muscles. The PGI.sub.2 is produced by mediation of the gene expression in the muscle cells, secreted, induces vessel-protective, neovascularization and anti-platelet aggregation actions, which lead to an improvement in vascular ischemia.

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for treating obesity involving satiation gut peptide administration to the mouth of a subject for a predetermined dose and frequency. In other embodiments, materials and methods of treating certain psychological disorders are disclosed involving satiation gut peptides. In exemplary embodiments, the satiation gut peptide pertains to PYY.