Regulatory elements for delivery to the liver

Abstract

The invention is directed to novel combinations of liver specific enhancers and promoter elements for achieving persistent transgene expression in the liver. The liver specific enhancer elements may be derived from either the human serum albumin, prothrombin, α-1microglobulin or aldolase genes in single copies or in multimerized from linked to elements derived from the cytomegalovirus intermediate early (CMV), α-1-antitrypsin or albumin promoters. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an adenoviral vector comprising a liver specific enhancer / promoter combination operably linked to a transgene is administered to recipient cells. In other embodiments of the invention, adeno-associated viral vectors, retroviral vectors, lentiviral vectors or a plasmid comprising the liver specific enhancer / promoter combination linked to a transgene is administered to recipient cells. Also within the scope of the invention are promoter elements derived from the human prothrombin gene and the β-fibrinogen gene.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to nucleic acid delivery vehicle constructs that have an enhanced capability of expression in target cells, namely to hepatocytes and other liver cells. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The ability to deliver nucleic acids carried by delivery vehicles, e. g., recombinant viruses (adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, herpesvirus, retrovirus) which are used with nucleic acid molecules, such as a plasmid, comprising a transgene, to transfect a target cell; molecular conjugate vectors; and modified viral vectors are important for the potential treatment of genetic diseases through gene delivery. [0003] Adenovirus is a non-enveloped, nuclear DNA virus with a genome of about 36 kb. See generally, Horwitz, M. S., “Adenoviridae and Their Replication,” in Virology, 2nd edition, Fields et al., eds., Raven Press, New York, 1990. Recombinant (adenovirus dodecahedron and recombinant adenovirus conglomerates) to specific cell types is useful f...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides improved regulatory elements that can direct the expression of transgenes in the liver. These regulatory elements can be used in recombinant vectors, such as viral vectors, to achieve high and sustained expression in the liver. The vectors comprise a combination of a constitutive or high-expressing promoter and one or more liver-specific enhancer elements. The strong constitutive promoter can be selected from the group consisting of CMV promoter, a truncated CMV promoter, human serum albumin promoter, and α-1-antitrypsin promoter. The liver-specific enhancer elements can be selected from the group consisting of human serum albumin enhancers, human prothrombin enhancers, α-1microglobulin enhancers, and intronic aldolase enhancers. The recombinant viral vectors may also contain adenoviral genes to support the efficient expression of the coding DNA sequence.

Problems solved by technology

In CF, mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene disturb CAMP-regulated chloride channel function, resulting in pulmonary dysfunction.

Thus, the usefulness of retroviruses for gene transfer is limited by the fact that they are receptor specific.

However, typical retroviral vectors are limited in that they require dividing cells for infectivity.

Furthermore, in vivo delivery of these vectors is poor and is effective only when infecting helper cell lines.

Where the transgene of interest is a cytotoxic gene, leaky expression would be highly undesirable.

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