A method for enhancing repair of damaged mammalian tubular epithelial cells involves delivering to the tubular epithelial cells of a subject in need thereof a composition comprising an adeno-associated virus (AAV) comprising an AAV capsid having an amino acid sequence of a selected AAV serotype, and a minigene having AAV inverted terminal repeats and a Sec10 gene operatively linked to regulatory sequences that direct expression of Sec10 in the epithelial cells. In one embodiment, delivery is accomplished by retrograde intrauretal injection. In an embodiment the AAV vector includes a capsid of AAV serotype 2/8. Therapeutic compositions containing such AAV are provided.
