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 present invention relates to regulatable adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors as well as to their use in gene therapy. It further relates to corresponding nucleic acid molecules, host cells, non-human transgenic animals, pharmaceutical compositions and kits.

The invention provides a method for generating a transgenic eukaryotic cell population having a modified human Rosa26 locus, which method includes introducing a functional DNA sequence into the human Rosa26 locus of starting eukaryotic cells. Also provided are targeting vectors useful in the method, as well as a cell population and a transgenic non-human animal comprising a modified human Rosa26 locus. Finally, the invention provides an isolated DNA sequence corresponding to the human Rosa26 locus.

Provided is a polynucleotide, the polynucleotide can be used as a WXRE transcriptional regulatory element used to increase the protein expression level of a protein expression system. A protein expression vector or a protein expression system comprising the above-mentioned WXRE transcriptional regulatory element as well as the use thereof are also provided. The use of the WXRE transcriptional regulatory element can increase the expression level of a heterologous protein greatly with its biological activity unchanged.

The present invention relates to nucleic acid regulatory elements that are able to enhance muscle-specific expression of genes, in particular expression in cardiac muscle and/or skeletal muscle, 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 muscle-directed gene therapy, and for vaccination purposes.

Adeno-associated virus rh.20 sequences, vectors containing same, and methods of use are provided.

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.

Provided is a multicistronic retroviral vector genome having a first nucleic acid sequence upstream of at least one internal regulatory element, such that the level of genomic RNA available for packaging in the absence of rev, or a functional equivalent thereof, is increased.

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.

The present invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising, or consisting of, the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a nucleic acid sequence of at least 1800 bp having at least 80% identity to said sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, wherein said isolated nucleic acid molecule specifically leads to the expression in retinal ganglion cells of a gene when operatively linked to a nucleic acid sequence coding for said gene.