The present invention provides methods for transfecting cells (e.g., liver cells) to express ABCA1 and increase HDL in the blood. The compositions described herein comprise a pharmaceutically acceptable aqueous carrier containing sonochemically-active microspheres together with a plasmid DNA construct encoding an active form of ABCA1 and at least one promoter for the expression thereof. Preferably, the sonochemically-active microspheres comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of gas bubbles (e.g., a fluorocarbon gas, such as octafluoropropane) encapsulated within protein-containing or lipid-containing shells (e.g., human serum albumin shells). The microspheres are disruptable by exposure to ultrasonic acoustic energy to release the encapsulated gas.
