Abstract: The present invention provides adipose tissue modified with a vector comprising or encoding, in which case it expresses, an anti-angiogenic factor, an angiogenic substance, an apoptotic factor, an adipsin protein or an Ob protein. Also provided is adipose tissue modified with a vector comprising a promoter and, operably linked thereto, a DNA sequence encoding a secreted protein. Methods of therapeutically treating adipose tissue and expressing a secreted protein in adipose tissue are also provided. The adipose tissue is optionally in the form of an implant, which can further comprise a lymphogenic protein or a vector that comprises and expresses a lymphogenic gene.

Abstract: The present invention provides for in vivo gene transfer to adipocytes mediated by adenovirus and, in particular, the in vivo transfer of toxic genes as a means of reducing adiposity, as well as the transfer of genes encoding angiogenic substances to induce new blood vessel growth. The present invention also provides for the in vivo gene transfer to adipocytes to supply a source of proteins to be used in the local milieu of the adipocyte tissue or to be secreted and used systemically. Further, the present invention provides for the transfer of the adipocytes to other sites within a host, following adenoviral-mediated transfer of genes to the adipocytes in vivo, to allow for the exploitation of the modified adipocytes as a transferable means for the production of protein.