Adenoviral delivery of a constitutively active retinoblastoma mutant inhibits neointima formation in a human explant model for vein graft disease.

Intimal hyperplasia resulting from vascular injury remains a major obstacle in the long-term success of coronary artery bypass grafts. Inhibition of smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation using adenoviral gene transfer of cell cycle inhibitors resulted in reduced neointima formation in various animal models. However, little is known about the effect on human SMCs and neointima formation.