〔Abstract〕 To explore the effects of the antihypertensive drug Amlodipine on calcium influx and autoph- agy in human podocytes ( HPC) . Methods HPC cells were routinely cultured in vitro . HPC cells were treated with angiotensin Ⅱ ( Ang Ⅱ ) , the L-type Ca2 + blocker Amlodipine alone or in combination . The Ca2 + imaging system was used to detect the transient changes in the intracellular Ca2 + flux of HPC cells in real time after drug treatment. Western blot was employed to detect the changes in the ratio of autophagy marker proteins LC3B-Ⅱ/ LC3B - Ⅰ , and the expression levels of Beclin-1 , P62 , as well as apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2 and Bax . Flow cytometry was used to detect the number of Fluo-4AM positive cells at 488 nm to analyze the level of intracellular Ca2 + influx in HPC cells . Lyso-Tracker Green live cell staining was applied to analyze the fluorescence intensity of lysosomes . Flow cytometry was also used to detect the apoptosis rate of HPC cells . Results Compared with the control group , in the Ang Ⅱ group , the transient Ca2 + flux and the number of Fluo-4AM positive cells increased significantly (P < 0. 001) . The ratio of autophagy marker proteins LC3B-Ⅱ/LC3B - Ⅰ (P < 0. 001) and the pro- tein expression of Beclin-1 (P < 0. 01) decreased significantly , while the expression of P62 increased (P < 0. 01) . The fluorescence intensity of lysosomes weakened (P < 0. 05) , the apoptosis rate increased (P < 0. 0001) , the ex- pression of apoptosis-related protein Bcl-2 decreased ( P < 0. 01) , and the protein level of Bax increased ( P < 0. 001) . Compared with the control group , in the Amlodipine group , the number of Fluo-4AM positive cells de- creased significantly (P < 0. 001) , the ratio of LC3B-Ⅱ/LC3B - Ⅰ (P < 0. 001) and the protein expression of Bec- lin-1 (P < 0. 001) increased , the protein expression of P62 decreased (P < 0. 05) , the fluorescence intensity of ly- sosomes enhanced (P < 0. 01) , the apoptosis rate decreased (P < 0. 01) , the protein expression of Bcl-2 increased (P < 0. 001) , and the protein level of Bax decreased (P < 0. 001) . Compared with the Ang Ⅱ group , in the Ang Ⅱ + Amlodipine group , the number of Fluo-4AM positive cells decreased significantly (P < 0. 001) , the ratio of LC3B-Ⅱ/LC3B - Ⅰ (P < 0. 01) and the protein expression of Beclin-1 increased (P < 0. 05) , the protein level of P62 decreased (P < 0. 01) , the fluorescence intensity of lysosomes increased ( P < 0. 05) , the apoptosis rate de- creased (P < 0. 001) , the protein expression of Bcl-2 increased ( P < 0. 001) , and the protein level of Bax de- creased (P < 0. 001) . Conclusion Amlodipine inhibits calcium influx , promotes autophagy and inhibits apoptosis in human podocytes , which is useful in preventing the development of hypertensive nephropathy .