Early growth response protein 1 has been shown to participate in diabetic nephropathy through enhancing ECM production and MC proliferation and by interacting with TGF‐β1.14 Moreover, prolonged expression of Egr1 contributes to prothrombotic and pro‐inflammatory responses in diabetic atherosclerosis.15 Additionally, hyperglycaemia‐induced Egr1 expression in the retinal endothelium is involved in diabetes‐mediated retina vascular aberration via the up‐regulation of downstream genes.10 By performing microarray analysis in STZ‐induced retina specimens, we observed that Egr1 was up‐regulated. Here, EGR1 is linked to diabetes mellitus.