AIM: To investigate the characteristics of Ets-1 and VEGF expression and distribution in the experimental diabetic rat retina. METHODS: Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). At 4 weeks after STZ-injection, animals were sacrificed. Total proteins were isolated from retinas of experimental eyes and control eyes and assessed by Western blot analysis. Frozen cross sections of eyeballs with 14μm thickness were used to perform double immunofluorescence staining with anti-Ets-1 and anti-VEGF antibodies. RESULTS: Both Ets-1 and VEGF expression were up-regulated in the diabetic retina, the distribution of Ets-1 and VEGF was identical to each other, and the two proteins were almost localized in all retinal layers. CONCLUSION: Ets-1 may contribute to the pathologic progress of the diabetic retina induced by VEGF.