To investigate the effect of dietary menhaden oil on protein kinase C (PKC) activity and membrane phospholipid composition in epidermal cells, female BALB/C mice were fed either menhaden oil or corn oil with two different levels(5% or 20%) for 6 weeks. Membrane phosphatidycholine(PC) was decreased in menhaden oil-fed group. Eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid(DHA) were only presented in the acyl chain of membrane phospholipid of menhaden oil-fed mice, so that membrane fluidity of the group could be different from the other group. Both cytosolic and membrane-associated PKC activity in epidermal cells were decreased in menhaden oil-fed mice when compare with corn oil-fed mice. Furthermore, rate of PKC transfer from cytosol to membrane in menhaden oil-fed group was not as fast as in corn oil-fed group. Based on these observations, dietary menhaden oil might act differently from other dietary fat in carcinogenesis.