Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) and causes blindness among adults. Chronic extra cellular hyperglycemia in diabetes stimulates reaction oxygen species ROS production and increases oxidative stress. GPX-1 that was coded by GPX-1 gene is a key enzyme in protecting vessels against oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of GPX-1 gene Pro 198 Leu polymorphism in patients with diabetic retinopathy.

Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 160 blood samples of participants including 80 patients with diabetic retinopathy and 80 healthy individual were tested. Genotyping of GPX-1 gene was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) by ApaI enzyme. Data analysis was performed using MedCalc (12.1) program.

Results: The genotype frequencies of the GPX-1 in DR patients for Leu/Leu, Leu/Pro, Pro/Pro were 10%, 62.5% and 27.5%, respectively, while for the control groups were 10%, 70% and 20%, respectively.In ohter words, Ile/Pro heterozygote was the most frequent genotype in patients and controls. According to the results of this study, there was not significant difference between patients with diabetic retinopathy and controls(p=0.52).

Conclusion: It is concluded that GPX-1 gene Pro 198 Leu polymorphism is not associated with DR. Further research is required to clarify the role of GPX-1 gene in DR in Rasht population along higher sample size.