ObjectiveTo investigate the regulatory mechanism of thioredoxin binding protein (TXNIP)/nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) pathway in the occurrence and development of breast cancer.MethodsThe resected 15 cases of breast cancer tissues and their adjacent tissues in our hospital from September 2019 to June 2020 were selected, and the immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression levels of TXNIP and NLRP3 in breast cancer and its adjacent tissues. Three kinds of breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB231, MCF-7 and SKBR3) and normal breast epithelial cell line (HMEC) were collected. Western blot was used to detect the relative expression levels of TXNIP and NLRP3 in three kinds of breast cancer cell lines and HMEC cell line. MDA-MB231 cancer cells were divided into blank control group (normal culture without any treatment), TXNIP overexpression group (Ad-TXNIP group, transfected with adenovirus vector carrying TXNIP overexpression sequence), Ad-TXNIP negative control group (Ad-eGFP1 group, transfected of empty adenovirus vector without TXNIP overexpression sequence), NLRP3 overexpression group (Ad-NLRP3 group, transfected with adenovirus vector containing NLRP3 overexpression sequence), TXNIP and NLRP3 overexpression co-transfection group (Ad-TXNIP+Ad-NLRP3 group, co-transfection of adenovirus vector carrying TXNIP and NLRP3 overexpression sequence), TXNIP overexpression and Ad-NLRP3 negative control (Ad-eGFP2) co-transfection group (Ad-TXNIP+Ad-eGFP2 group,co-transfection of adenovirus vector carrying TXNIP overexpression sequence and empty adenovirus without NLRP3 overexpression sequence). After 24 hours of transfection and culture, CCK-8 method was used to detect the MDA-MB231 cells proliferation. Transwell chamber method was used to detect MDA-MB231 cells migration and invasion. Nude mice tumorigenicity test was used to detect the tumorigenicity of the MDA-MB231 cells in vivo. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of TXNIP, NLRP3, proliferation marker protein (Ki-67), caspase-1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18 and caspase-1 precursor protein (pro-caspase-1) in the MDA-MB231 cells.ResultsCompared with the adjacent tissues, the relative expression level of TXNIP decreased (P<0.05) and the relative expression level of NLRP3 increased (P<0.05) in breast cancer tissues. Compared with normal breast epithelial cell line (HMEC cell line), the relative expression levels of TXNIP in MDA-MB231, MCF-7 and SKBR3 breast cancer cell lines were decreased (P<0.05), and the relative expression levels of NLRP3 were increased (P<0.05). Compared with the blank control group, the relative expression levels of TXNIP, NLRP3, IL-1β, IL-18, pro-caspase-1 and caspase-1 were increased (P<0.05), the relative expression levels of Ki-67 and VEGF, the proliferation activity, invasion and migration ability of MDA-MB231 cells and tumor weight were decreased (P<0.05) in the Ad-TXNIP group and the Ad-NLRP3 group. Compared with the Ad-TXNIP group and the Ad-NLRP3 group, the relative expression levels of TXNIP, NLRP3, IL-1β, IL-18, pro-caspase-1 and caspase-1 were further increased (P<0.05), the relative expression levels of Ki-67 and VEGF, the proliferation activity, invasion and migration ability of MDA-MB231 cells and tumor weight were further decreased (P<0.05) in the Ad-TXNIP+Ad-NLRP3 group.ConclusionsIn breast cancer tissues and breast cancer cell lines, TXNIP is low expression and NLRP3 is high expression. They can interact with each other to promote pyroptosis and inhibit the proliferation, invasion and migration of breast cancer cells.