Effect of PKCα inhibition on OHC electromotile amplitude. OHCs were treated with 10 μM LPA alone for 15 min or preincubated with BIM-1 (1 and 10 μM) before LPA stimulation, and then electrically stimulated with an EAEF for 3 s. (A) Electromotile amplitude versus time in control (n = 5), LPA-treated (n = 5), and LPA+BIM-1-treated (10 μM, n = 5) OHCs. BIM-1 decreased the LPA enhancing effect on OHC electromotile amplitude. (B) Electromotile amplitude values (total cell length = 100%) at 3 s after the beginning of the stimulation (mean ± SE): control = 2.27% ± 0.11%, LPA = 2.78% ± 0.16% (p ≤ 0.008), LPA+BIM-1 (10 μM) = 2.34% ± 0.16% (p = N.S. with respect to both control and LPA). (C) Electromotile amplitude of untreated cells (n = 5) and cells exposed to BIM-1 (1 or 10 μM) only (n = 4): control = 2.27% ± 0.11%, BIM-1 (1 μM) = 1.87% ± 0.14%, BIM-1 (10 μM) = 0.60% ± 0.14% (p ≤ 0.02 and p ≤ 0.0001 re control, respectively, and p ≤ 0.001 between them).