Lung statics and connective tissues after penicillamine in bleomycin-treated hamsters

Penicillamine was administered intraperitoneally to male golden hamsters for 30 days following a single intratracheal dose of bleomycin. Penicillamine treatment increased soluble collagen and decreased glycosaminoglycans in both normal and fibrotic lungs; total collagen and elastin were not significantly changed in normals but were lower in fibrotic animals. The proportions of the different glycosaminoglycans were not affected by penicillamine treatment. When related to body weight, the total lung capacity, vital capacity, and compliance both at low and high lung volumes were increased in animals that received only penicillamine when compared with animals that did not, but interpretation of these results is difficult because penicillamine-treated animals had low body weights. Lung statics were the same in animals that received penicillamine after bleomycin as in those that received bleomycin only, though penicillamine partially reversed the connective tissue expression of the bleomycin lung injury. We conclude that factors other than connective tissue levels are important in determining the mechanical behavior of fibrotic lungs.