The aim of the present study was to investigate the use of GATA-3 markers in the detection of hematologic disorders in children. In total, 35 pediatric patients diagnosed with blood disease and treated in Henan Red Cross Blood Center from January 2014 to June 2015 were selected for the observation group. Another 32 healthy children were selected for the control group. The differences in the GATA-3 mRNA expression levels between the control and observation groups were detected via reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The differences in the GATA-3 protein expression levels were detected via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and western blot analysis. Compared with those in the healthy children, the mRNA expression levels of GATA-3 in patients with hematologic malignancies, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, myeloproliferative disorder, acute non-lymphocytic leukemia or thrombocytopenic purpura were significantly higher, and there were statistically significant differences between the groups (P<0.05). The results of ELISA showed that the GATA-3 protein expression levels in patients with hematologic malignancies (241.3±42.6 µg/l), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (196.3±21.6 µg/l), myeloproliferative disorder (284.2±45.1 µg/l), acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (269.3±31.4 µg/l) or thrombocytopenic purpura (272.1±39.1 µg/l) were significantly higher than those in healthy subjects (69.3±15.2 µg/l). The results of western blot analysis were consistent with those of ELISA. Based on our results, the expression levels of GATA-3 in healthy children and pediatric patients with blood diseases exhibit significant differences, and can be used as important markers for the clinical diagnosis of blood diseases in children.

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