C/EBPβ regulates hypertrophic versus hyperplastic fat tissue growth

Chronic obesity is correlated with severe metabolic and cardiovascular diseases as well as with an increased risk for developing cancers. Obesity is usually characterized by fat accumulation in enlarged - hypertrophic - adipocytes that are a source of inflammatory mediators, which is seen as causal for developing metabolic disorders. Yet, in certain healthy obese individuals fat is stored in metabolically more favorable hyperplastic fat tissue that contains an increased number of smaller adipocytes that are less inflamed. In a previous study we demonstrated that C/EBP{beta}-LIP deficient, yet C/EBP{beta}-LAP proficient mice show an expanded health and lifespan. Here we show that in mice on a high-fat diet LIP-deficiency results in adipocyte hyperplasia as well as efficient fat storage in subcutaneous depots associated with metabolic and inflammatory improvements. Our data identify C/EBP{beta} as a regulator of adipocyte fate in response to increased fat intake, which has major implications for metabolic health and aging.