Abstract:Objective To investigate the correlation between the expression of serum microRNA-124-3p (miR-124-3p) and GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3) and the severity of the disease and the balance of type Ⅰ helper T cells (Th1)/type Ⅱ helper T cells (Th2) in children with allergic rhinitis (AR). Methods A total of 87 children with AR diagnosed in the Department of Otolaryngology Children’s Health Care of Wuxi Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital (hereinafter referred to as “our hospital”) from June 2020 to April 2022 were selected as the observation objects (AR group), and were divided into mild group (53 cases), moderate and severe group (34 cases) according to the severity of symptoms, and 85 healthy children undergoing physical examination in our hospital during the same period were selected as the control group. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression level of serum miR-124-3p, and flow cytometry was used to detect the proportion of Th1, Th2 cells, and Th1/Th2. Serum levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-12 (IL-12), IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and GATA3 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The correlation between the expression of miR-124-3p and GATA3 in children with AR was analyzed by Pearson method, while miR-124-3p and GATA3 were associated with Th1/Th2 and cytokines. Results The expression level of miR-124-3p in AR group was lower than that in control group, while the level of GATA3 was higher than that in control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The expression level of miR-124-3p in the moderate and severe group were lower than that in the mild group, while the level of GATA3 was higher than that in the mild group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The proportion of Th1 cells and Th1/Th2 ratio in AR group were lower than that in control group, while the proportion of Th2 cells was higher than that in control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-12 in AR group were lower than those in control group, and the levels of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 in AR group were higher than those in control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the expression level of miR-124-3p in serum of children with AR was negatively correlated with the level of GATA3 (r<0, P<0.05). miR-124-3p was positively correlated with Th1, Th1/Th2, IFN-γ, and IL-12 (r>0, P<0.05), and negatively correlated with Th2, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10 (r<0, P<0.05). GATA3 was negatively correlated with Th1, Th1/Th2, IFN-γ, and IL-12 (r<0, P<0.05), and positively correlated with Th2, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10 (r>0, P<0.05). Conclusion Serum miR-124-3p expression level decreased and GATA3 level increased in children with AR, which was related to the severity of the disease and Th1/Th2 imbalance.