Single-stranded AAV vectors were produced by triple transfection of human embryonic kidney 293 cells and purified by a CsCl-based gradient method (27 (link)). Transgenes used were:

Enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) driven by 1) the cytomegalovirus (CMV) early enhancer/chicken beta actin (CAG) promoter; 2) the CAG promoter with the addition of four tandem repeats of the mirT122a sequence (5′CAAACACCATTGTCACACTCCA3′), the mirT1 sequence (5′TTACATACTTCTTTACATTCCA3′) or both, cloned in the 3′ untranslated region of the expression cassette; 3) the short version of the adipocyte protein 2 (mini/aP2) promoter (28 (link),29 (link)); or 4) the short version of the uncoupling protein-1 (mini/UCP1) promoter (30 (link),31 (link));

Hexokinase 2 (HK2) driven by 1) the CMV promoter, 2) the mini/aP2 promoter, or 3) the mini/UCP1 promoter;

Placental-derived secreted alkaline phosphatase (SeAP) driven by the mini/aP2 promoter;

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-164 driven by the mini/UCP1 promoter; and

Red fluorescent protein (RFP), driven by the CMV promoter.

A noncoding plasmid carrying the CMV promoter, the mini/aP2 promoter, or the mini/UCP1 promoter and a multicloning site was used to produce null particles.