Objective:To investigate the expression of Galectin-7 in the bronchial mucosa of asthmatic children and its effect on the apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells.Methods:Bronchial mucosa of asthmatic children and children with bronchial dilation were collected and the expression of Galectin-7 was detected by Western blot.Human bronchial epithelial cells were cultured in vitro,the cells were transfected with Galectin-7 siRNA to interfere the Galectin-7 expression,while siRNA control was transfected as the control group.The experiment was divided into normal group,control group,infected group and experimental group.The normal group was normal human bronchial epithelial cells,the cells in the control group was transfected with siRNA control,the infected group was infected with RSV,the experimental group was transfected with Galectin-7 siRNA and infected with RSV.After 24h culture,Galectin-7 protein expression and cell apoptosis were detected in the cells of each group.Western blot was used to detected the expression of Bcl-2,Bax,STAT3 and p-STAT3.Results:The expression of Galectin-7 in bronchial mucosa of asthmatic children was significantly higher than that of the non asthmatic children (P＜0.01).There was no significant difference in the Galectin-7 level between the normal group and the control group (P＞0.05).The levels of Galectin-7,Bax and apoptosis in the infected group were significantly higher than those in the normal group,while the levels ofp-STAT3 and Bcl-2 were significantly lower than those in the normal group (P＜0.01).The levels of Galectin-7,Bax and apoptosis in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the infected group,while the levels of p-STAT3 and Bcl-2 were significantly higher than those in the infected group (P＜0.01).Conelusions:The expression of Galectin-7 was up-regulated in the bronchial mucosa of asthmatic children,which might promote the apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells by activating STAT3.