SELENOF Functions as a Tumor Suppressor in Skin Cancer

Although SELENOF has been implicated in cancer etiology, its precise role remains unclear. To define its contribution to carcinogenesis, Selenof knockout (KO) mice were exposed to the potent carcinogen 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) and fed a high-fat, high-calorie Western diet.

All Selenof KO mice developed tumors and did so more rapidly, whereas only 30% of wild-type mice developed tumors. This effect was further exacerbated by the Western diet regardless of Selenof status. Notably, the majority of DMBA-induced tumors in KO mice were skin lesions, predominantly cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and benign papillomas.