The invention provides expression cassettes. In certain embodiments, an expression cassette comprises (a) a regulatory element at least 90% identical to the sequence of any of SEQ ID NOs:2-67, and (b) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a Factor VIII protein having a B domain deletion (FVIII-BDD), where the nucleic acid sequence of (a) is at least 90% identical to the sequence of SEQ ID NO:77, where the regulatory element is operably linked to the nucleic acid sequence, and where no intron is present between the regulatory element and the nucleic acid sequence encoding FVIII-BDD, or where no more than 0-107 nucleotides of untranslated nucleic acid is between the regulatory element and the nucleic acid sequence encoding FVIII-BDD. In certain embodiments, expression cassettes contain sequence elements having CpG(s) substituted with CpT, CpA, TpG, or ApG at the same position(s) or has CpG reduced nucleic acid sequences.

A construct comprising a promoter specific for non-pigmented ciliary epithelial cells (NPCECs) is provided. In particular, the construct comprises a BEST2 minimal promoter that confers NPCEC-specific expression. The BEST2 minimal promoter may be operably linked to an expressible sequence such as a gene encoding a polypeptide of interest, a regulatory RNA sequence, a reporter gene, and the like. Such constructs may be provided in an expression vector, for example, with the BEST2 minimal promoter operably linked to an expressible sequence or in a host cell genetically modified with such an expression vector.

The invention provides nucleic acids and nucleic acid expression vectors containing optimized mGluR6 promoters for expression of transgenes in the retina. The compositions and methods of the invention are useful for expression of gene products to preserve, improve, or restore phototransduction or vision.

Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) have emerged as a class of promising anti-cancer and anti-infection biological drugs. They are capable of killing target cells, either cancer cells or microbe-infected cells, at levels of nanograms per milliliter serum in vivo, about 1e+5 folds more powerful than regular antibodies. To bypass the problems of high cost in production and inconvenience in administration, a logical solution is to use gene therapy vectors to produce them in vivo. In a series of preclinical studies, we have demonstrated that DNA MiniCircle was able to express far above therapeutic levels of bsAB persistently both in the presence as well as the absence of transfection co-factors. As a specific and intended improvement of the claimed invention, an enhanced form of bispecific antibodies incorporating a target cell-effector cell bridging device (BTEC) is additionally disclosed.

The present invention provides methods and materials useful delivering liquids, including liquids comprising nucleic acid molecules into cells. In particular, the present invention provides methods for delivering saline solution, exogenous compositions, and isolated vectors to kidney cells, using the renal vein as a guide and under hydrodynamic pressure. The delivery methods and materials herein are useful to research, prognose, ameliorate symptoms of kidney injury, and treat kidney pathologies.

mRNAs containing an exogenous open reading frame (ORF) flanked by a 5′ untranslated region (UTR) and a 3′ UTR is provided, wherein the 5′ and 3′ UTRs are derived from a naturally abundant mRNA in a tissue. Also provided are methods for identifying the 5′ and 3′ UTRs, and methods for making and using the mRNAs.

The invention relates to chimeric AAV capsids targeted to the central nervous system, virus vectors comprising the same, and methods of using the vectors to target the central nervous system. The invention further relates to chimeric AAV capsids targeted to oligodendrocytes, virus vectors comprising the same, and methods of using the vectors to target oligodendrocytes.

Provided herein are methods and compositions for plakophilin-2 gene therapy for treating heart diseases such as arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) or arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM).

The present invention provides an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector gene therapy comprising a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)C transgene; and minimal nephrin promoter NPHS1 or podocin promoter NPHS2. The gene therapy vector can be used to target podocytes within the glomerulus of the kidney in order to treat or prevent kidney disease, such as diabetic kidney disease.

Codon optimized nucleic acid sequences for RDH12 are provided, as well as recombinant viral vectors, such as AAV, expression cassettes, proviral plasmids or other plasmids containing the codon optimized sequence for functional RDH12. Recombinant vectors are provided that express the codon optimized, functional RDH12. Compositions containing these codon optimized sequences are useful in methods for treating, retarding or halting certain blinding diseases resulting from the absence, deficiency or inappropriate expression of RDH12. Other compositions and methods are providing for correcting a non-functional, defective or inadequately expressed native RDH12.