Activation of promoters for cellular lipogenic genes by hepatitis B virus large surface protein

Hepatitis B virus large surface protein has the unusual property of accumulating in a particulate form within a preGolgi compartment, leading to marked proliferation of intracellular membranes. We show here that large surface protein activates the promoters for two lipogenic genes that code for farnesyl diphosphate synthase and fatty acid synthase. This activation is transduced, in part, by the transcription factor NF-Y. Although NF-Y is also necessary for the transcriptional induction of chaperone proteins residing in the endoplasmic reticulum by unfolded proteins, other inducers of chaperone synthesis do not activate the promoters for farnesyl diphosphate synthase and fatty acid synthase. Our results suggest the presence of a novel signaling pathway from the endoplasmic reticulum to the nucleus that causes the intracellular membrane proliferation seen in the hepatocytes of persons with accumulated large surface protein particles.