%0 Journal Article %T Localization of endogenous morphine-like compounds in the mouse spinal cord %+ Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives (INCI) %+ Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC) %+ Università degli Studi di Siena = University of Siena (UNISI) %+ Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives [Bordeaux] (IMN) %A Laux, Alexis %A Delalande, François %A Mouheiche, Jinane %A Stuber, Denise %A van Dorsselaer, Alain %A Bianchi, Enrica %A Bezard, Erwan %A Poisbeau, Pierrick %A Goumon, Yannick %< avec comité de lecture %@ 0021-9967 %J Journal of Comparative Neurology %I Wiley %V 520 %N 7 %P 1547-1561 %8 2012-05-01 %D 2012 %R 10.1002/cne.22811 %M 22102217 %Z Cognitive scienceJournal articles %X Morphine, codeine, morphine-6-glucuronide, and morphine-3-glucuronide are synthesized de novo in mammalian cells and in the central nervous system. Knowledge on endogenous morphine-like compound distribution in the adult mouse brain has been recently improved, and new hypotheses have been suggested about the potential implications in brain physiology. Endogenous morphine-like compounds have been shown to be synthesized in the spinal cord, but their localization is unknown. Here we describe the distribution of endogenous morphine-like compounds (morphine and/or its glucuronides and/or codeine) in the adult mouse spinal cord using a well-validated antibody. By using different microscopy approaches, we found the presence of morphine, codeine, or morphine glucuronides in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic neurons and astrocytes of the spinal cord. Whereas GABAergic neurons containing endogenous morphine-like compounds were located primarily in the ventral horn, astrocytes that were labeled for morphine-like compounds were found throughout the gray matter and the white matter. Our study demonstrates the possibility that endogenous morphine-like compounds in the central nervous system have other functions beyond their analgesic functions. %G English %2 https://inserm.hal.science/inserm-03543844/document %2 https://inserm.hal.science/inserm-03543844/file/J%20of%20Comparative%20Neurology%20-%202011%20-%20Laux.pdf %L inserm-03543844 %U https://inserm.hal.science/inserm-03543844 %~ IN2P3 %~ INSERM %~ DRS-IPHC %~ CNRS %~ UNIV-STRASBG %~ IPHC %~ SITE-ALSACE