Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to explore the effect of cobalt chloride-induced hypoxia on migration of melanoma cells, and detect the transcription, expression and secretion of FSTL1 in this process. Methods B16F10 melanoma cell lines were treated with CoCl2 in order to mimic hypoxia. Experiment was divided into three groups: 0 μmol/L,50 μmol/L ,100 μmol/L .MTT assay was used to assure cell viability and determine the treatment concentration of CoCl2. Transwell assay was used to determine the migration ability of B16F10 melanoma cell line. Real-time PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression of FSTL1. Western blot were used to detect the protein expression of intracellular and extracellular of FSTL1. Results The cell viability of B16F10 melanoma cell lines was significantly reduced by CoCl2 treatment, in a time and concentration-dependent manner; The migration ability of B16F10 cell lines in CoCl2 treated group was significantly increased compared with the control group（all P<0.05）; The mRNA level of Fstl1 in CoCl2 treated group were obviously higher than the control group （all P<0.05）, the same as the protein of FSTL1. Simultaneously, the extracellular protein level of FSTL1 was significantly decreased compared with the control group and even it was not found in 100umol/L CoCl2 treatment. Conclusion The migration ability of melanoma cell lines was enhanced by CoCl2 treatment, which may be associated with expression and secretion of FSTL1, however, the relevant mechanism still be explored in the future.

Key words: melanoma, cell movement, cell hypoxia, cobalt chloride, migration, follistatin-like 1