Tetracycline-regulated adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors for gene delivery to the nervous system

1. A regulatable, recombinant adeno-associated viral vector comprising:

SEQ ID NO:20 operably linked to a first nucleic acid encoding a protein that provides a therapeutic effect on a nervous system disorder;

a second nucleic acid encoding a tetracycline-controlled transactivator;

a tetracycline-off, regulatable promoter system comprising:

a first promoter operably linked to the first nucleic acid; and

a second promoter operably linked to the second nucleic acid; and

inverted terminal repeats of adeno-associated virus, the inverted terminal repeats flanking the Promoter system;

wherein the first and second promoters drive expression of the first and second nucleic acids in opposite directions, towards each other and away from the inverted terminal repeats in the vector.

2. The vector of claim 1 further comprising a Kozak-like sequence operably linked to the first nucleic acid, the Kozak-like sequence having at least 70% identity to the nucleic acid sequence in SEQ ID NO: 25.

3. The vector of claim 1 further comprising a tetracycline response element operably linked to the first promoter.

4. The vector of claim 1 wherein the first nucleic acid comprises glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and other members of the GDNF family including neurturin, persephin and artemin, aromatic amino-acid decarboxylase, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, nerve growth factor, neurotrophin (NT)-3, NT-4, BMP4, ciliary neurotrophic factor, platelet-derived neurotrophic factor, leukemia inhibitory factor, interleukins, tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine-β-hydroxylase, phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase, tryptophan hydroxylase, vesicular monoamine transporter, dopamine transporter, catecholamine, serotonin and glutamate transporters, vascular endothelial growth factor, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, adenosine A-1 receptor, glutamate decarboxylase, choline acetyltransferase, cholinergic nicotinic or muscarinic receptors, neuropeptides, including enkephalin, dynorphin, substance P, neuropeptide Y, GABA-A receptor isoforms, calcium-dependent potassium channels, ATP-sensitive potassium channels, bcl2, bcl xl and bax, caspase, dominant-negative nucleic acids against caspase enzymes, and tumor necrosis related apoptosis-inducing factor, nogo, netrins, semaphorins, N-CAM, eph receptors, eph ligands, sonic hedgehog, nurr-1, HOX genes, LIM genes, POU genes, c-fos, or fosB.

5. The vector of claim 1 wherein the first nucleic acid comprises glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor or aromatic amino acid decarboxylase.

6. The vector of claim 1 wherein the first promoter comprises a cytomegalovirus promoter.

7. The vector of claim 1 wherein the second promoter comprises a cytomegalovirus promoter.

8. The vector of claim 1 wherein the promoter system is regulatable by tetracycline or doxycycline.

9. The vector of claim 1 wherein the promoter system is “OFF” regulatable, wherein the expression is about 5% or less compared to the expression without tetracycline or doxycycline.

10. The vector of claim 1 wherein the promoter system is “OFF” regulatable, wherein the expression is about 1% or less compared to the expression without tetracycline or doxycycline.

11. The vector of claim 1 wherein the nervous system disorder is Parkinson's Disease.

12. The vector of claim 1 further comprising a Kozak-like sequence operably linked to the first nucleic acid, the Kozak-like sequence having at least 80% identity to the nucleic acid sequence in SEQ ID NO: 25.

13. The vector of claim 1 further comprising a Kozak-like sequence operably linked to the first nucleic acid, the Kozak-like sequence having at least 90% identity to the nucleic acid sequence in SEQ ID NO: 25.