Patent ID: 6852515

Claim:
A prepared heterogeneous DNA segment for placement in an expression vector capable of effecting transfection of endothelial cells in-situ such that overexpression of extracellular matrix heparan sulphate proteoglycans subsequently occurs in-situ, said prepared heterogeneous DNA segment comprising: at least one first DNA sequence coding for the extracellular domain of a recombinant proteoglycan entity that is not a naturally occurring form of a syndecan-4 molecule, and which can be expressed by a transfected endothelial cell in-situ after being transfected with an expression vector carrying said first DNA sequence, said extracellular domain first DNA sequence specifying the extracellular N-terminal portion of said expressed recombinant proteoglycan entity which then extends from the endothelial cell surface and is capable of binding heparan sulfates to form an extracellular matrix in-situ; at least one second DNA sequence coding for the transmembrane domain of said recombinant proteoglycan entity that is not a naturally occurring form of a syndecan-4 molecule, and which can be expressed by a transfected endothelial cell in-situ after being transfected with an expression vector carrying said second DNA sequence, said transmembrane domain second DNA sequence specifying the medial portion of said expressed recombinant proteoglycan entity which then extends through the endothelial cell membrane and is joined with said extracellular N-terminal portion of said expressed recombinant proteoglycan entity; and at least one third DNA sequence coding for the cytoplasmic domain of a syndecan-4 molecule in said recombinant proteoglycan entity, and which can be expressed by a transfected endothelial cell in-situ after being transfected with an expression vector carrying said third DNA sequence, said syndecan-4 cytoplasmic domain third DNA sequence specifying the cytoplasmic portion of said expressed recombinant proteoglycan entity which is then present within the cytoplasm of a transfected endothelial cell and is joined to said transmembrane portion of said expressed recombinant proteoglycan entity.