As with chemotherapy, immunotherapies for cancer can lead to HHV-6 encephalitis
HHV-6 reactivation following haploidentical hematopoietic stem-cell transplant found to predict acute graft versus host disease in China
25% of the patients with HHV-6 reactivation developed aGVHD compared to 18% in those without reactivation.
Relationships between malignant pleomorphic adenoma and herpesviruses
HHV-6B and HHV-7 DNA found in malignant tumors that derive from common salivary gland adenomas
CMV & HHV-6 cause severe complications in non-transplant acute leukemia patients
Herpesvirus co-infections, particularly HHV-6 and CMV, cause severe lymphopenia, pneumonia, and an increased risk of acquiring bacterial and fungal infections in non-transplant acute leukemia patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Co-infections of C. trachomatis and HHV-6 in ovarian cancer: casual or causal?
C. trachomatis infection activates latent HHV-6, and HHV-6 in turn promotes persistence of C. trachomatis. Both have been reported in cases of ovarian cancer, leaving the authors to wonder if a co-infection might increase the risk for developing ovarian cancer.
HHV-6 latency gene U94 has anti-cancer effects in triple-negative breast cancer cells
The U94 “latency” gene of HHV-6, interferes with breast cancer proliferation and potentiates chemotherapy.
HHV-6 DR7 found to promote glioma development and progression
A Chinese group found HHV-6 direct repeat 7 in 48% of glioma tumors. Furthermore, they determined that DR7 overexpression could promote glioma cell migration, invasion and angiogenesis. Expression profiles showed that DR7 created an inflammatory microenvironment that enhanced degradation of the extracellular matrix.
HHV-6 in Cancer: Does it play a role?
Since its discovery, HHV-6 has been studied in the context of lymphoproliferative disorders and various types of cancer. Several obstacles, particularly the ubiquitous nature of the virus, have made it difficult to determine exactly how HHV-6 might, or might not, be involved in tumor development.
Cancer related fatigue and HHV-6 & HHV-7 saliva DNA levels
Investigators from Japan looked at HHV-6 and HHV-7 DNA levels in saliva to see if they might be biomarkers for cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in multiple myeloma patients.
HHV-6+ lymph nodes can lead to a faulty cancer diagnosis
Investigators at the National Cancer Institute found that HHV-6+ lymph nodes can be identified in biopsies from both lymphadenopathy and malignancies. They warn that failing to identify HHV-6 in these biopsies can lead to misdiagnosis in lymphoma cases.
HHV-6A IE1 antibodies associated with increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Using a novel serological assay that can differentiate HHV-6A from HHV-6B, investigators found HHV-6A immediate early antibodies to be associated with an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Cross-sectional analysis of CD8 T cell immunity to HHV-6B identifies new targets for adoptive T cell therapy
German investigators conducted a broad scale analysis of CD8 T cell responses to HHV-6B, identifying novel epitopes with potential for immunotherapy or vaccines. The strongest responses were directed against an epitope from IE-2.
HHV-6 and lymphoproliferative syndromes: a review
The authors discuss how HHV-6 may contribute to the progression of reactive lymphoproliferative disorders by spurring a dysfunctional immune response.
HHV-6A sequences found in ovarian cancer tissues but not in controls
A broadscale investigation of the ovarian cancer oncobiome using a microarray system PathoChip found HHV-6A sequences at or near genes associated with tumorigenesis in ovarian cancer tissue samples.
Deep sequencing analysis finds HHV-6, CMV and EBV in a subset of stomach and colon cancers
A team at University of Pittsburgh analyzed a large database of deep sequencing data from tumor and control tissues to look for viral sequences in 22 different cancers. They were surprised to find several herpesviruses in gastrointestinal cancers but not in control tissues.