Drug effects on a novel model of connective tissue breakdown.

Production of a granulomatous tissue adjacent to cartilage implants in subcutaneous tissues of mice by prior wrapping of cartilage with cotton, induces matrix depletion and a rise in serum levels of the acute phase protein haptoglobin. The granulomatous reaction to cotton could be inhibited partially, following treatment of mice with indomethacin, dexamethasone and cyclophosphamide but only the latter two reduced cartilage matrix loss. D-penicillamine was inactive. Regarding the acute phase response, dexamethasone and D-penicillamine appeared to lower and indomethacin and cyclophosphamide to elevate, serum levels of haptoglobin, but these effects were not statistically significant.