Method for enhanced uptake of viral vectors in the myocardium

A method of treating heart failure by transfecting cardiac cells of a human, the method comprising:

• identifying a human in need of treatment for heart failure;
• intravenously administering nitroglycerin to said human at an initial does of 10-20 μg/minute at least 25 minutes prior to administration of a therapeutic polynucleotide and continuing to intravenously administer nitroglycerin during administration of said therapeutic polynucleotide;
• and
• administering a therapeutic polynucleotide into a lumen of a coronary artery in vivo for at least about 10 minutes, wherein said coronary artery comprises the left coronary artery, the right coronary artery, or the left and right coronary artery;
• wherein a coronary circulation is not isolated or substantially isolated from a systemic circulation of the human, wherein said therapeutic polynucleotide comprises a SERCA2a coding sequence, said therapeutic polynucleotide is packaged in a DNAse resistant particle (DRP) of a AAV2/1 viral vector, and a total number of DRP infused into said lumen is not more than about 1×1014, and wherein said therapeutic polynucleotide transfects cardiac cells of said human resulting in the treatment of said heart failure.