Abstract: Objective To explore the expression of tumor protein p53 (Tp53), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), and microRNA-551b (miR-551b) and its relationship with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in gallbladder cancer tissues. 
Methods In this study, gallbladder cancer tissues from 50 gallbladder cancer patients who underwent cholecystectomy were selected as the gallbladder cancer group, and 50 adjacent tissues were selected as the control group. Meanwhile, 50 patients with cholecystitis treated in our hospital during the same period were selected as the cholecystitis group. The expression of miR-551b, TP53 and NLRP3 was determined by fluorescence quantitative PCR. The expression of P53, NLRP3 and miR-551b between the groups was observed, and the relationship of the three indicators with clinicopathology and prognosis, as well as the correlation of the three was analyzed. 
Results TP53 and NLRP3 were all higher in the gallbladder cancer group than in the control group and cholecystitis group, while miR-551b was lower than that in the control group (P＜0.05). TP53 and NLRP3 were lower in the control group than in the cholecystitis group, while miR-551b was higher than that in the cholecystitis group (P＜0.05). The aggravation of clinical stage, lower differentiation and larger diameter led to continuously higher TP53 and NLRP3 expression, and continuously decreased miR-551b expression (P＜0.05). The expression of TP53 and NLRP3 in patients with lymph node metastasis was higher than that without lymph node metastasis, and miR-551b was lower than that without lymph node metastasis (P＜0.05). The expression of TP53 and NLRP3 in patients with poor prognosis was higher than that of patients with good prognosis, and miR-551b was lower than that of patients with good prognosis (P＜0.05). TP53 was positively correlated with NLRP3, and miR-551b was negatively correlated with NLRP3 and TP53 (P＜0.05). 
Conclusion TP53 and NLRP3 are highly expressed, while miR-551b is lowly expressed in gallbladder cancer tissues. The three indicators have certain correlation with clinical characteristics and prognosis, and there is correlation among them. The high expression of TP53 and NLRP3 and low expression of miR-551b are risk predictors of gallbladder cancer.

Key words: gallbladder neoplasms, tumor suppressor proteins, prognosis