Enforced activation of the CREB/KDM2B axis prevents alcohol-induced embryonic developmental delay

Unintentional, early pregnancy alcohol consumption affects embryonic development. During the peri-implantation stage, coinciding with the transition from naive to primed pluripotency, the long isoform of KDM2B (KDM2BLF) underlies the de novo establishment of polycomb repressive complex (PRC) functions at promoters after fertilization. However, it remains unclear whether and how ethanol exposure affects this spatiotemporal chromatin setting. Here, we show that exposing peri-implantation mouse embryos to ethanol leads to impaired post-implantation development, mirrored by the delayed exit of naive pluripotency in acetaldehyde-treated embryonic stem cells. Remarkably, these abnormalities are linked to inadequate KDM2BLF expression and compromised deposition of PRC marks, which arise from cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) inactivation. Accordingly, pharmacological activation of CREB effectively restores pluripotency transition partly dependent on KDM2BLF in vitro and ameliorates post-implantation embryonic defects in vivo. Therefore, our study highlights the pivotal role of the CREB/KDM2B axis in chromatin configuration and developmental programming, proposing potential preventive strategies against ethanol exposure-induced detrimental effects.