HCMV-seropositive (IgG-positive/IgM-negative) HSCT recipients exhibited a high rate of herpesvirus infections, particularly EBV. ATG and male sex were strongly associated with an increased risk of EBV infection. GVHD prophylaxis with prednisone was found to affect both EBV and HCMV infections. Prior infection with EBV was shown to promote HHV-6 infection. Taken together, these data highlight the need for active monitoring of herpesvirus infections in patients undergoing HSCT.

We aimed to investigate the relationship between miRNA-146a and latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The expression levels of LMP1 in 40 cases of NPC, 28 cases of chronic nasopharyngitis and NPC cell lines CNE1 and CNE1-GL (in which LMP1 was stably transfected) were detected by immunohistochemical staining. The expression of miRNA-146a in 16 cases of NPC, 13 cases of chronic nasopharyngitis and cell lines was determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis. A plasmid containing the luciferase gene under the control of miRNA-146a promoter (pri-miRNA-146a) was constructed and transfected into NPC cells, and the luciferase activity was detected. LMP1 was positive in 17.9% (5/28) of chronic nasopharyngitis cases and 62.5% (25/40) of NPC cases (P<0.01). The miRNA-146a levels in NPC were significantly higher than that in chronic nasopharyngitis (P<0.01), and were higher in CNE1-GL cells than those in CNE1 cells (p<0.01). The expression of miRNA-146a in human NPC was elevated by EBV-associated antigen LMP1, probably through the activation of the miRNA-146a promoter.