4.3. Neural regulation underlying the multi-generational
effects
The opposite effects between AChE and ACH supported the function of AChE
in hydrolyzing ACH (Behl et al., 2023). The up-regulated expressions ofser-1 (encoding G-protein coupled receptors family 1 profile
domain-containing protein), ser-6 , mod-1 (encoding
serotonin-gated chloride channel) and dop-3 (encoding dopamine
receptor 3) are involved in the increases of 5-HT and GABA transductions
(McDonald et al., 2006; Srinivasan et al., 2008). However, the effects
of DEHTP on their expressions were not consistent with those on 5-HT or
GABA. The lack of such consistence suggests that more regulations were
involved in impacts on the neural regulation other than ser-1 ,ser-6 , mod-1 and dop-3 . The neuro-toxicities of
DEHTP showed some similarities to those of DEHP on nematodes and fishes
(Huang et al., 2022a; Huang et al., 2022b), which raises more concerns
about the toxicities of the plasticizer substitutes.
It is well known that neural signals regulate behavior. Both 5-HT and DA
support the nematode locomotion and feeding (Cermak et al., 2020;
Srinivasan et al., 2008), and DA is essential in avoidance responses of
nematodes (Chou et al., 2022). However, the lack of correlations between
the effects on neural regulations and those on locomotion demonstrated
that there was more complicated regulation between the biochemical
neural signals and the apical locomotion.