Efficient and selective adenoviral-mediated gene transfer into vascular neointima

The present invention provides a method of selectively expressing DNA in neointimal cells in an injured blood vessel of a subject comprising administering a replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus which functionally encodes the DNA to the blood vessel at the site of injury, such that the adenovirus remains at the site of injury for a time sufficient for the adenovirus to selectively infect neointimal cells and thereby selectively express the DNA in neointimal cells. In particular, the invention provides administering a replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus which functionally encodes a DNA encoding a protein or an antisense ribonucleic acid. This method can be used to treat restenosis and, relatedly, prevent neointimal cell proliferation.