SM22α promoter targets gene expression to vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro and in vivo

Background: Gene transfer into vascular smooth muscle cells (vsmcs) holds promise for studying the pathogenesis of arterial disorders. However, a potential limitation of vectors with heterologous promoters is organ toxicity resulting from unrestricted transgene expression. Vascular smooth muscle cell-specific gene expression could increase the safety of vectors for vascular diseases. Materials and Methods: To develop vectors that target gene expression to vsmcs, we constructed vectors encoding, human placental alkaline phosphatase (hpAP) and chloramphenicol transferase (CAT) driven by a 441-bp region of the murine SM22 alpha promoter (AdSM22 alpha -hpAP). Results: Transfection of AdSM22 alpha -hpAP into vascular and nonvascular cells resulted in the expression of alkaline phosphatase (AP) in primary arterial and venous smcs, but not in primary endothelial cells or National Institutes of Health (NIH) 3T3 cells. Expression of AP was observed on 32.5 +/- 1.4% of primary pig vsmcs-infected AdSM22 alpha -hpAP at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 500; whereas, infection with AdCMV-hpAP resulted in 100 +/- 0.0% expression at a MOI of 250. In vitro, expression from the heterologous cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter was approximately 10(3)-fold higher in vsmcs, compared with the SM22 alpha promoter. Following introduction of AdSM22 alpha -hpAP vectors into balloon-injured pig arteries, AP recombinant protein was detected in neointimal (2.23 +/- 1.14%) and medial (0.56 +/- 0.21%) smcs, but not in endothelial or adventitial cells. In contrast, AdCMV-hpAP vectors led to AP expression in intimal endothelial and smcs cells (39.14 +/- 10.09%) and medial smcs (2.84 +/- 1.05%). AP expression was not observed in endothelial or vsmcs following transfection with the control vector, adenoviral vector lacking E1 (Ad Delta E1). Conclusions: The SM22 alpha promoter programs recombinant gene expression exclusively to vascular smcs in vitro and in vivo. Although expression levels are lower than with heterologous promoters, these vectors may provide a safe and effective tool for gene therapy of vascular diseases.