OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of rAd-p53 injection on the proliferation, apoptosis and autophagy of nephroblastoma cells. METHODS: Nephroblastoma cells were respectively cultured 20 h with high, medium, low concentration (1×109, 1×108, 1×107 VP/mL) of Recombinant human rAd-p53 injection, cells with no injection were the blank control. Cell proliferation, cycle, apoptosis and related gene p21, Bax protein expressions were detected, and autophagy gene LC-3, Atg7, Atg12 expressions and number of autophagosomes were also detected. RESULTS: The proliferation inhibition rates of high, medium, low concentration of Recombinant human rAd-p53 injection to nephroblastoma cells were (42.86±3.18)%, (33.64±7.25)%, (16.26±9.07)%; apoptotic rates were (53.85±9.36)%, (37.35±9.64)%, (23.64±10.65)%, respectively. Compared with blank control, cells at period G0/G1 were increased under high, medium, low concentration Recombinant human rAd-p53 injection, effects were relatively obvious under high, medium concentration (P<0.05 or P<0.01); p21, Bax protein and LC-3, Atg7, Atg12 gene expressions were enhanced under high concentration, the number of autophagosomes was increased (P<0.01); Bax protein expression was enhanced under medium concentration (P<0.05), the other indicators had no obvious changed (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Recombinant human rAd-p53 injection can inhibit the cell proliferation of nephroblastoma, and induce its apoptosis and autophagy.