[Gene therapy of restenosis and atherosclerosis: hopes and facts].

Stents are the main technique of coronary revascularization in France and western countries. However, a better understanding of the pathophysiology of in-stent restenosis and the well-recognized roles played by inflammation and cell proliferation led to the development of drug-eluting stents, which have nearly eliminated the risk of restenosis. In this context, the success of gene therapy will depend on our ability to simplify and optimize current protocols of arterial gene transfer. For the time being, arterial gene therapy remains a powerful tool for deciphering the complex pathophysiology of restenosis and will certainly have far-reaching implications in the fields of vascular biology and therapeutics.