n-6 Polyunsaturated fatty acids increase skin but not cervical cancer in human papillomavirus 16 transgenic mice.

Using a mouse with transgenes for the highly oncogenic human papillomavirus type 16, we asked whether a diet high in fat, namely, the n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid, would influence the development of skin or cervical cancer. Virgin female keratin 14-human papillomavirus 16 transgenic mice were fed control diet or diet with 20% corn oil. The effect of these diets was compared in mice implanted or not implanted with 0.125 mg/60 day release of estradiol. More precancers and cancers of the skin developed faster in mice fed the high-fat diet. Estrogen had no effect on the development of skin cancers. In contrast, estrogen was necessary for the development of cervical cancer, and a high-fat diet had no effect on the development of cervical cancer.