EFFECTS OF N,N'-BISDIMETHYL-1,2-ETHANEDIAMINE DICHLORIDE, A DOUBLE-CHAIN SURFACTANT, ON MEMBRANE-RELATED FUNCTIONS IN HUMAN ERYTHROCYTES

The effects of N,N'-bisdimethyl-1,2-ethanediamine dichloride (dioctyld iQAS), a double chain surfactant with two positive charges in the pola r head, on the erythrocyte membrane were studied. At sublytic concentr ations dioctyldiQAS protected erythrocytes against hypotonic hemolysis , induced the formation of sphero-echinocytes, increased passive fluxe s of potassium through the membrane, decreased the activity of the Na-K+-pump and decreased the efflux of phosphate. The alterations in mem brane-connected functions induced by dioctyldiQAS are qualitatively si milar to those induced by its single-chain close analogue decyltrimeth ylammonium bromide. DioctyldiQAS, however, exhibited these effects at considerably lower concentrations than decyltrimethylammonium bromide. This is most likely due to a higher extent of partitioning into the m embrane by dioctyldiQAS.