Reversibility of the effects of cyclophosphamide on collagen: biochemical studies on skin and granulation tissue and determination of thermal stability of tail tendons of rats.

Granulation tissue was produced in rats by subcutaneous implantation of viscose cellulose sponges. Treatment with cyclophosphamide in a dose of 10 mg/kg/day for 14 days caused an increase in acid soluble OH-proline and a decrease in alpha/beta ratio of acid soluble collagen of granulation tissue. Forty-two days of continuous cyclophosphamide treatment caused a decrease in dry weight, in free OH-proline, and in salt soluble OH-proline in granulation tissue. These findings are in accordance with previous observations of a decreased collagen synthesis and an inhibited collagen degradation in granulation tissue after cyclophosphamide treatment. In skin, the only change after cyclophosphamide was a decrease in total content of OH-proline and an increase in alpha/beta ratio of acid soluble collagen after 42 days of treatment. No effect of the subcutaneous sponge implantation was observed on the collagen variables in the skin. In comparison with unstarved controls, a reduction in dry weight and in free OH-proline in granulation tissue, as well as an increase in salt soluble OH-proline in the skin were observed 28 days after a 14-day treatment with cyclophosphamide. These observations indicate a sustained effect of cyclophosphamide on collagen 28 days after cessation of treatment. In addition the thermal stability of rat tail tendons was decreased 28 days after withdrawal of cyclophosphamide to the same extent as after starvation for 42 days and after 42 days of continuous cyclophosphamide treatment. It is concluded that the cyclophosphamide-induced collagen alterations, which may be of importance in the anti-inflammatory action of cyclophosphamide, are only in part reversible, 28 days after cessation of 14 days of cyclophosphamide treatment.