In this study, we investigated the expression and regulatory mechanism of Egr1 in diabetic retinopathy in vitro and in vivo, and found that Egr1 was augmented after the induction of hyperglycaemia and that Egr1 regulated retinal endothelial cell apoptosis, migration and vascularization by promoting p53 transcription. This evidence concerns the gene EGR1 and diabetic retinopathy.