The deafwaddler (dfw) mouse mutant is caused by a spontaneous mutation in t
he gene that encodes a plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase (type 2), PMCA2 (Street
et al., 1998. Nat. Genet. 19, 390-394), which is expressed in cochlear and
vestibular hair cells. Distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) ampl
itudes and latencies were examined in control mice, deafwaddler mutants: an
d controls treated with the drug furosemide, Furosemide causes a transient
reduction of DPOAEs (Mills et al., 1993. J. Acoust. Sec. Am. 94, 2108-2122)
. We wanted to determine whether DPOAEs obtained in furosemide-treated mice
were similar or different from results obtained in +/dfw mice. DPOAE ampli
tude and phase were measured as a function of f(2)/f(1) ratio. These data w
ere converted into waveforms using inverse fast Fourier transform, and thei
r average latency was used to estimate DPOAE group delay. Homozygous deafwa
ddlers did not produce DPOAEs. Heterozygous deafwaddlers (+/dfw) had increa
sed DPOAE thresholds and reduced amplitudes at high frequencies, compared t
o controls. To the extent that DPOAEs depend on functional outer hair cells
(OHCs), abnormal DPOAEs in +/dfw mice suggest that PMCA2 is important for
OI-IC function at high frequencies. Similar to the effects of furosemide, t
he mutation reduced DPOAEs for low-level stimuli; in contrast to furosemide
, the mutation altered DPOAEs elicited by high levels. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sc
ience B.V. All rights reserved.