The present methods and compositions are of use for treatment of conditions involving fibrosis, such as Peyronie's disease plaque, penile corporal fibrosis, penile veno-occlusive dysfunction, Dupuytren's disease nodules, vaginal fibrosis, clitoral fibrosis, female sexual arousal disorder, abnormal wound healing, keloid formation, general fibrosis of the kidney, bladder, prostate, skin, liver, lung, heart, intestines or any other localized or generalized fibrotic condition, vascular fibrosis, arterial intima hyperplasia, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, restenosis, cardiac hypertrophy, hypertension or any condition characterized by excessive fibroblast or smooth muscle cell proliferation or deposition of collagen and extracellular matrix in the blood vessels and/or heart. In certain embodiments, the compositions may comprise a PDE-4 inhibitor, a PDE-5 inhibitor, a compound that elevates cGMP and/or PKG, a stimulator of guanylyl cyclase and/or PKG, a combination of a compound that elevates cGMP, PKG or NO with an antioxidant that decreases ROS, or a compound that increases MMP activity.

The present invention relates to nucleic acid regulatory elements that are able to enhance heart-and/or muscle-targeted expression of genes, in particular heart- and muscle-targeted gene expression, more particularly gene expression in cardiomyocytes, methods employing these regulatory elements and uses of these elements. Expression cassettes and vectors containing these nucleic acid regulatory elements are also disclosed. The present invention is particularly useful for applications using gene therapy, more particularly heart- and/or muscle-directed gene therapy, e.g. for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and disorders and muscle disorders, as well as other diseases and disorders that may benefit from high transgene expression in heart and/or muscle cells or tissue, and for vaccination purposes.

The presently disclosed subject matter provides compositions and methods for the expression of CRISPR guide RNAs using the H1 promoter. In particular, compositions and methods are provided for the use of the H1 promoter to express CRISPR guide RNA (gRNA) with altered specificity of the 5 nucleotide, as well as use of the H1 promoter sequence as a bidirectional promoter to express Cas9 nuclease and the gRNA simultaneously. Compositions and methods are also provided for the expression and regulation of gRNA expression in vivo through the use of RNA ribozymes and regulatable aptazymes.

The invention provides an expression and secretion system, and methods of using the same, for the expression and secretion of one fusion protein in prokaryotic cells and a second fusion protein in eukaryotic cells. Also provided herein are nucleic acid molecules, vectors and host cells comprising such vectors and nucleic acid molecules.

The presently disclosed subject matter provides compositions and methods for the expression of CRISPR guide RNAs using the H1 promoter. In particular, compositions and methods are provided for the use of the H1 promoter to express CRISPR guide RNA (gRNA) with altered specificity of the 5 nucleotide, as well as use of the H1 promoter sequence as a bidirectional promoter to express Cas9 nuclease and the gRNA simultaneously. Compositions and methods are also provided for the expression and regulation of gRNA expression in vivo through the use of RNA ribozymes and regulatable aptazymes.

Sequences of novel adeno-associated virus capsids and vectors and host cells containing these sequences are provided. Also described are methods of using such host cells and vectors in production of rAAV particles. AAV-mediated delivery of therapeutic and immunogenic genes using the vectors of the invention is also provided.

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.

Methods of making and using recombinant AAV virions with decreased immunoreactivity are described. The recombinant AAV virions include mutated capsid proteins or are derived from non-primate mammalian AAV serotypes and isolates that display decreased immunoreactivity relative to AAV-2.

Sequences of a serotype 8 adeno-associated virus and vectors and host cells containing these sequences are provided. Also described are methods of using such host cells and vectors in production of rAAV particles.

A PDL1 block CAR-T transgenic vector for suppressing immune escape includes: AmpR sequence containing ampicillin resistance gene (SEQ ID NO: 1); prokaryotic replicon pUC Ori sequence (SEQ ID NO: 2); virus replicon SV40 Ori sequence (SEQ ID NO: 3); eWPRE enhanced posttranscriptional regulatory element of hepatitis B virus (SEQ ID NO: 11); human EF1a promoter (SEQ ID NO: 12); lentiviral packaging cis-elements for lentiviral packaging; humanized single-chain antibody fragment PDL1scFv1 (SEQ ID NO: 21), PDL1scFv2 (SEQ ID NO: 22), or PDL1scFv3 (SEQ ID NO: 23) of human PDL1; IRES ribosome binding sequence (SEQ ID NO: 25); IL6 signal peptide (SEQ ID NO: 26); human antibody Fc segment (SEQ ID NO: 27); and chimeric antigen receptors of the second or third generation CAR for integrating recognition, transmission and initiation. A preparation method of the PDL1 block CAR-T transgenic vector and an application thereof in a preparation of anti-immune escape drugs.