N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is an RNA modification well-known for its contribution to different processes controlling RNA metabolism, including splicing, stability, and translation of mRNA. Conversely, the role of m6A on the biogenesis and function of circular RNAs (circRNAs) has yet to be addressed. circRNAs belong to a class of covalently closed transcripts produced via a back-splicing reaction whereby a downstream 5' splice donor site fuses to an upstream 3' splice acceptor site. Starting from circ-ZNF609 as a study case, we discover that specific m6As control its accumulation and that METTL3 and YTHDC1 are required to direct the back-splicing reaction. This feature is shared with other circRNAs because we find a significant direct correlation among METTL3 requirement, YTHDC1 binding, and the ability of m6A exons to undergo back-splicing. Finally, because circ-ZNF609 displays the ability to be translated, we show that m6A modifications, through recognition by YTHDF3 and eIF4G2, modulate its translation.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a class of covalently closed RNAs formed by a back-splicing reaction, have been involved in the regulation of diverse oncogenic processes. In this article we describe circVAMP3, a novel circular RNA overexpressed in RH4, a representative cell line of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. We demonstrated that circVAMP3 has a differential m⁶A pattern opposed to its linear counterpart, suggesting that the two isoforms can be differently regulated by such RNA modification. Moreover, we show how circVAMP3 depletion in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells can impair cell cycle progression, through the alteration of the AKT-related pathways, pointing to this non-coding RNA as a novel regulator of the alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma progression and as a putative future therapeutic target.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), covalently closed RNAs that originate from back-splicing events, participate in the control of several processes, including those that occur in the development of pathological conditions such as cancer. Hereby, we describe circAFF1, a circular RNA overexpressed in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Using RH4 and RH30 cell lines, a classical cell line models for alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, we demonstrated that circAFF1 is a cytoplasmatic circRNA and its depletion impacts cell homeostasis favouring cell migration through the downregulation of genes involved in cell adhesion pathways. The presented data underline the importance of this circular RNA as a new partial suppressor of the alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma tumour progression and as a putative future therapeutic target.