Immunostaining intensity of anti-glycosaminoglycan antibodies
| Patient | HS4C3 | AO4B08 | IO3H10 | IO3H12 | IO4C2 | LKN1 |
| Non-COPD | ||||||
| 1 | ++ | ++ | ++ | + | + | + |
| 2 | ++ | + | ++ | +/− | −/+ | ++ |
| 3 | ++ | ++ | ++/+ | +/− | +/− | ++ |
| 4 | ++ | ++ | ++ | + | ++/+ | ++ |
| 5 | ++ | ++ | ++ | +/− | +/− | + |
| COPD | ||||||
| 6 | + | ++ | ++ | + | ++ | + |
| 7 | +/− | ++ | ++ | +/− | ++/+ | ++ |
| 8 | ++/− | ++ | ++ | +/− | ++ | ++ |
| 9 | +/− | + | ++ | + | ++/− | + |
| 10 | ++/+ | ++ | ++ | + | + | ++ |
| 11 | −/+ | ++ | ++ | +/− | ++/+ | + |
| 12 | +/− | ++ | + | + | ++/+ | ++ |
| 13 | +/− | ++/+ | ++ | + | + | ++/− |
| 14 | +/− | + | ++ | +/− | + | + |
COPD: chronic obstructive pyulmonary disease. Cryosections of human diaphragm were incubated with anti-glycosaminoglycan antibodies. Bound antibodies were visualised by incubation with fluorescently labelled antibodies. ++: very strong staining intensity; +: strong; −: negative. Staining intensity of cryosections displaying intensity differences between areas were scored as follows: +/−: strong with negative areas; ++/−: very strong with negative areas; ++/+: very strong with strong areas; −/+: negative with positive areas.