The effects of D-penicillamine on non-immune responses to tissue injury.

D-penicillamine was found to have a pro-inflammatory effect when given to rats during the formation of carrageenan air pouch granulomas or simple air cavity linings. Unlike dexamethasone, D-penicillamine had no effect on the strength of the cavity lining in either system. D-penicillamine had no effect on the chemoattractant properties of the carrageenan-induced exudates or on the responsiveness of cells from such exudates to a chemoattractant. These results suggest that D-penicillamine has a short-term pro-inflammatory effect on non-immune responses to tissue injury, but the mechanism remains unclear.