Patent ID: 8058253

Claim:
A method of decreasing serum cholesterol levels in a mammalian subject using non-viral techniques comprising: delivering a nucleic acid expression construct that encodes a growth-hormone releasing-hormone (â€œGHRHâ€) having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14 into a tissue of the subject, wherein the GHRH is expressed in vivo in the subject; electroporating the tissue, comprising penetrating the tissue with a plurality of needle electrodes, wherein the plurality of needle electrodes are arranged in a spaced relationship and the tissue comprises muscle cells; introducing the nucleic acid expression construct into the tissue via the plurality of needle electrodes in an amount in a range of about 0.05-5 mg; and applying an electrical pulse to the plurality of needle electrodes, wherein the electrical pulse allows the nucleic acid expression construct to traverse a muscle cell membrane; wherein the nucleic acid expression construct does not contain polylinker, transgene other than GHRH, skeletal alpha-actin promoter, or skeletal alpha actin 3â€² UTR/NCR.