2.3 In vitro release assay
In vitro release assays were performed to evaluate the amount of
antibody released from the PL-based hydrogel formulations that are
effectively available to inhibit recombinant KLK7. To perform this
experiment, a glass mold was connected to the bottom of a 40-mL beaker
and maintained at 32.5 ºC, as previously described (Akkari et
al ., 2016). One milliliter of each formulation was inserted into the
glass mold, and as soon as they turned into gel, the beaker was filled
with 40 mL of 0.9% saline buffer. A magnetic stirrer was placed inside
the beaker, and the system was maintained at 32.5 ºC for 24 hours under
magnetic stirring (350 rpm). The samples were collected at different
time intervals (30 minutes and 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 24 hours), and the same
volume that was removed was replaced after each collection.
The procedure for quantifying the antibodies is presented in the
supplementary material.