BACKGROUND: Genetic and environmental factors both play important roles in the occurrence and progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR). IL-10 592 gene polymorphism is associated with diabetes pathogenesis. This study analyzed the relationship between IL-10 gene promoter-592 loci polymorphism (SNP) in a diabetic model rats with DR.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Streptozotocin (STZ) was injected through the tail vein to establish a diabetic rat model. The rats were randomly divided into 2 groups for 3 months’ feeding, including 100 rats in the diabetes-positive control group and 100 rats only injected with citric acid buffer as the blank control group. Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) was used to observe retinal vascular changes. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment polymorphisms assay (PCR-RFLP) was used to detect IL-10 gene promoter-592 loci polymorphism in DNA samples. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to test serum IL-10 concentration.

RESULTS: Serum IL-10 level in DR rats was 33.18±5.0 pg/mL and in the control rats it was 53.33±4.16 pg/mL in (P<0.01). Diabetes susceptibility with IL-10-592 genotype frequency and gene frequency analysis showed that IL-10-592 genotype frequency and allele frequency were significantly different in the DR group compared with the control group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: IL-10 592 polymorphism was associated with DR susceptibility, suggesting that the gene polymorphism might be a risk factor for DR.

Keywords: Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental, Diabetic Retinopathy - genetics, Disease Progression, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Fluorescein Angiography, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genotype, Interleukin-10 - genetics, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Random Allocation, Retina - pathology, Risk Factors