109 Characterization of Polyomavirus encoded-circular RNAs in Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are an emerging class of RNAs with diverse functions. We previously described human papillomavirus derived circRNAs with transforming activity. Here, we describe circular RNAs encoded by Merkel Cell Polyomavirus (MCPyV), including two that are circular forms of the previously described alternative open reading frame (ALTO) gene in the early region of MCPyV (circALTO1 and circALTO2). CircALTOs can readily be detected MCPyV-positive Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) by both inverse PCR and northern blot. Both circALTOs contain the ALTO open reading frame and are able to ALTO peptides. CircALTOs are stable, predominantly located in the cytoplasm, and modified with N 6-methyladenosine (m6A). Thus, we describe the first known polyomavirus-encoded circRNAs (circALTO1/2), which encode for proteins, and may contribute to both MCPyV replication and MCC tumorigenesis. 110 RNA expression analysis in stage IVA-B cutaneous T-cell lymphoma to identify novel biomarkers of prognosis and diagnosis