Fish oil constituent docosahexa-enoic acid selectively inhibits growth of human papillomavirus immortalized keratinocytes.

The omega-3-fatty acids inhibit proliferation of breast cancer cells whereas omega-6-fatty acids stimulate growth. In this study, we examined effects of these fatty acids on human pre-cancerous cells. Cervical keratinocytes, immortalized with the oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16, were treated with linoleic acid, an omega-6-fatty acid, and the omega-3-fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids. Using both cell counts and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation, docosahexaenoic acid inhibited growth of these cells to a greater extent than eicosapenta-enoic acid. Linoleic acid had no effect. The effect of docosahexaenoic acid was dose dependent and caused growth arrest. Docosahexaenoic acid inhibited growth of HPV16 immortalized foreskin keratinocytes and laryngeal keratinocytes grown from explants of benign tumors caused by papillomavirus, but had no effect on normal foreskin and laryngeal keratinocytes. Docosahexaenoic acid inhibited growth in the presence of estradiol, a growth stimulator for these cells. Indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor like docosahexaenoic acid, had only minimal effect on growth. Alpha-tocopherol, a peroxidation inhibitor, abrogated effects of docosahexaenoic acid implying that inhibitory effects were via lipid peroxidation.