Objective To investigate the correlations between the expression levels of miR-149-5p and Notch1 mRNA in serum and the balance of regulatory T cells (Treg)/helper T cells (Th)17 in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). Methods Ninety-eight AR patients (AR group) and 30 healthy volunteers (control group) were selected. According to the severity of the disease, the patients with AR were divided into the mild group (51 cases) and moderate and severe group (47 cases). Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-149-5p and Notch1 mRNA in serum, and flow cytometry was used to detect Treg, Th17 and their cytokines in peripheral blood. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlations between serum miR-149-5p, Notch1 mRNA expression and peripheral blood Treg, Th17 and their cytokines, as well as the relationship between the miR-149-5p and Notch1 mRNA expression. Results Serum miR-149-5p expression, interleukin (IL)-10, transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1) level, peripheral blood Treg cells and Treg/Th17 ratio in the AR group were lower than those in the control group (all P<0. 05), and serum Notch1 mRNA ex‐ pression, IL-6, IL-17, IL-22, IL-23 and Th17 cells in peripheral blood were higher than those in the control group (all P<0. 05). The expression of miR-149-5p, the levels of IL-10, TGF-β1, Treg cells and Treg/Th17 ratio in peripheral blood were lower in the moderate and severe group than in the mild group (all P<0. 05), and the expression of Notch1 mRNA, the levels of IL-6, IL-17, IL-22, IL-23 and Th17 cells in peripheral blood were higher than those in the mild group (all P< 0. 05). Serum miR-149-5p expression in the AR group was positively correlated with peripheral blood Treg cells, Treg/ Th17 ratio, serum IL-10, and TGF-β1 levels (r=0. 367, 0. 539, 0.265, 0.301, respectively; all P<0. 05), and was negatively correlated with the levels of serum IL-6, IL-17, IL-22, IL-23 and peripheral blood Th17 cells (r=-0. 289, -0. 213, -0. 336, -0. 243, -0. 221, respectively, all P<0. 05). Notch1 mRNA expression was negatively correlated with peripheral blood Treg cells, Treg/Th17 ratio, serum IL-10, and TGF-β1 level (r=-0. 346, -0. 508, -0. 281, -0. 293, respectively; all P<0. 05), and was positively correlated with serum IL-6, IL-17, IL-22, IL-23 levels and peripheral blood Th17 cells (r= 0. 326, 0. 241, 0. 302, 0. 285, 0. 237, respectively, all P<0. 05). Serum miR-149-5p was negatively correlated with Notch1 mRNA expression (r=-0. 550,P<0. 05). Conclusion The expression of miR-149-5p is down-regulated and Notch1 mRNA is up-regulated in AR patients, which are related to the imbalance of Treg/Th17 in AR patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]