Identification of morphine in the adrenal medullary chromaffin PC-12 cell line

Morphine was identified in the adrenal medulla chromaffin PC-12 cell lime b y reversed-phase HPLC, following liquid and solid extraction. The morphine corresponding HPLC fractions (1.746+/-0.615 ng of morphine/million cells) w ere further analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and found to b e identical to synthetic morphine. Furthermore, using primers derived from the human neuronal mu 1 opiate receptor, we used RT-PCR to detect expressio n of mu transcripts from this cell line. The transcript was absent. The stu dy conclusively proves morphine, but not a mu 1 opiate receptor, is constit utively expressed in the adrenal medulla chromaffin PC-12 cell line. (C) 20 00 Elsevier Science BN. All rights reserved.