Influence of amine and anionic polymer reactants on aqueous charged film encapsulation of two model proteins and a viral vaccine

Trypsin retains enzymatic activity and viruses retain immunogenicity and infectivity when captured in microcapsules prepared from aqueous spermine hydrochloride and sodium alginate. The present work questioned whether encasement in microcapsules prepared from other amines or from another polymer of greater anionic strength might alter protein structures or conformations and, thus, enzymatic activity or viral immunogenicity and infectivity. To this end we compared two polymers; alginate with carboxylate and carrageenan with hemisulfate anionic groups and eleven amines drawn from the set of mono-, di- and oligo-amines as encapsulating reagents for the enzymes trypsin and horseradish peroxidase and the recombinant virus RRV.; In pilot experiments the influence of neutral salts of each polymer and amine on enzyme activity and viral infectivity were separately evaluated.; Microcapsules containing either of the enzymes or the virus were prepared by blending solutions of the active component and polymer and instilling microdroplets of blend into separate amine solutions. The resulting microcapsules were washed by repeated centrifugation and resuspension in water.