Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a severe complication of diabetes and the leading cause of blindness among working adults worldwide. Chronic extra cellular hyperglycemia in diabetes stimulates reaction oxygen species (ROS) production and increase oxidative stress. Glutathion S- transferases (GSTs) enzymes have been shown to protect human from reactive oxygen compounds damage. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the genetic polymorphism of GSTP1 is associated with DR.

Materials and Methods: This case–control study, included 70 patients with DR and 70 healthy volunteers. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes. Genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Statistical analysis was performed using the MedCalc program for Windows version 12.

Results: The prevalence of genotype frequencies of the GSTP1 Ile/Ile and Ile/Val were 71.42% and 28.57% respectively, in DR subject, whiles in healthy volunteers were 78.58% and 21.42%, respectively. Statistical analysis has not emerged significant difference from the comparison of either genotype (&Rho>0.05).

Conclusion: There was no evidence that GSTP1 variants were associated with DR in studied population. Further research is required to clarify role of GSTP1 in DR.