Hyperparathyroidism, secondary to renal disease, is thought to cause high bone turnover via prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Diets high in n-3 fatty acids reduced PGE2. Thus the objective was to compare the effect of diets high in n-6 and n-3 fatty acids on hyperparathyroidism, bone turnover, and PGE2 in Han:SPRD- cy rats that develop polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Weanling male rats ( n=58) were randomized to diets made with either corn or flaxseed oil (5%) for 8 weeks, followed by measurement of plasma parathyroid hormone (PTH), osteocalcin, urinary N-telopeptide (NTX), and ex vivo release of PGE2from femur. Plasma PTH was elevated ( P<0.01) as a result of PKD. Mean values for plasma osteocalcin and urinary NTX were elevated ( P<0.01) by PKD but not altered by diet. In contrast, values for PGE2 were lowest in the PKD rats fed flaxseed oil compared with PKD rats fed corn oil and compared with non-affected rats fed either oil. Rats with PKD have high-turnover bone disease, likely due to hyperparathyroidism, that is unaffected by feeding corn or flaxseed oils. Since PGE2 release is lower in the presence of high bone turnover, the high bone turnover in evolving rat uremia is not likely to be mediated by PGE2.