We studied the effect of different concentrations of polyelectrolytes poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) as well as the effects of microcapsules coated with these polymers on survival of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells and mouse peritoneal macrophages and on ROS production by phagocytes. PAH reduced viability of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in a concentration-dependent manner (LD50=12-15 μg/ml). This effect was presumably determined by its ability to bind phosphates, thereby depleting the culture medium. At the same time, PAH did not affect the viability of macrophages. PSS produced no cytotoxic effect on the examined cells. Polyelectrolyte capsules with the shell architectonics (PAH/PSS)3 and (PAH/PSS)3PAH in the examined concentration range had no effect on the viability of macrophages and tumor cells. PAH microcapsules with positively charged surface much more rapidly and more intensively activated macrophages. The chemiluminescence response directly depended on the amount of capsules in the solution.

Fluorescent and optical spectroscopy were used to study the interaction of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) with negatively charged polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) and dextran sulfate (DS), as well as positively charged poly(diallyldimethylammonium) (PDADMA). As found, DS and PDADMA did not affect the structural and catalytic enzyme properties. In contrast, PSS slightly decreased the protein self-fluorescence over 1 h of incubation, which is associated with partial destruction of its quaternary (globular) structure. Investigation of the ADH activity with and without PSS showed its dependency on the incubation time and the PSS presence. Sodium chloride (2.0 and 0.2 M) or ammonium sulfate (0.1 M) added to the reaction mixture did not completely protect the enzyme quaternary structure from the PSS action. However ammonium sulfate or 0.2 M sodium chloride stabilized the enzyme and partially inhibited the negative PSS effect.