Figure legends
Fig. 1. MALDI TOF mass spectra, with major assignments, of permethylatedN- glycans released by PNGase F from control (CTRL) (A), vernal
keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) (B) and atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC) (C)
tears.
N- acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc): blue square; Mannose (Man): green
circle; Galactose (Gal): yellow circle; Sialic acid (NeuAc): purple
lozenge; Fucose (Fuc): red triangle.
Fig. 2. MALDI TOF/TOF fragmentation analysis of the parent ion atm/z 2779.4 present in the MS spectra from a control tear.
N- acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc): blue square; Mannose (Man): green
circle; Galactose (Gal): yellow circle; Sialic acid (NeuAc): purple
lozenge; Fucose (Fuc): red triangle.
Fig. 3. Comparison of statistically significant relative intensities
between control subjects (CTRL) and vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC)
patients (a), CTRL and atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC) patients (b).
Most intense 30 peaks were compared and only statistically significant
are shown. Bars indicate standard errors (*p<0.01;
**p<0.001).
Fig. 4. Tear levels of serotransferrin, by commercial immunometric
analysis, in the cohort of atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC) and vernal
keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) patients and control subjects (CTRL). Tear
levels were significanlty higher in AKC and VKC compared to CTRL, and in
AKC compared to VKC (p-values by U Mann-Whitney test).
Supplementary Materials
Supplementary Table 1. Clinical data from VKC and AKC patients
Supplementary Table 2. N- glycans identified in human tears
Supplementary Table 3. Structures of Lewis determinants
Supplementary figure Legends
Figures S1-S14: MALDI-TOF/TOF fragmentation analysis of the parent ion
at m/z 1579.8, m/z 1783.9, m/z 1988.0, 2192.1,m/z 2418.2, m/z 2592.3, m/z 2605.3, m/z2766.4, m/z 3127.6, m/z 3140.6, m/z 3589.8,m/z 2940.5, m/z 2156.1, m/z 2360.2 respectively,
present in the mass spectrum from a CTRL tear. MS/MS spectra
recorded in several samples including VKC and AKC showed no differences.
N- acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc): blue square; Mannose (Man): green
circle; Galactose (Gal): yellow circle; Sialic acid (NeuAc): purple
lozenge; Fucose (Fuc): red triangle.
Acknowledgments.
a. Funding/Support: This work was partially supported by a generous
donation from the “Stella Lucente” trust
b. Conflicts of Interest:
Angela Messina: No Conflicts of Interest
Angelo Palmigiano: No Conflicts of Interest
Claudia Tosto: No Conflicts of Interest
Donata Agata Romeo: No Conflicts of Interest
Luisa Sturiale: No Conflicts of Interest
Domenico Garozzo: No Conflicts of Interest
Andrea Leonardi: No Conflicts of Interest.
c. Contributions to Authors in each of these areas: Angela Messina (AM),
Angelo Palmigiano (AP), Claudia Tosto (CT), Donata Agata Romeo (DAR),
Luisa Sturiale (LS), Domenico Garozzo (DG), Andrea Leonardi (AL)
Conseption and Design: AL, DG, AM
Analysis and interpretation: DG, AL, AM, LS, AP
Writing the article: AM, AL, DG, LS
Critical revision of the article: LS, DAR, CT
Final approval of the article: AL, SD, JLF, LD, SD, DR, MK
Data Collection: AM, AP, CT, DAR, LS, DG, AL
Provision of materials, patients, or resources: AL, DG
Statistical expertise: LS, CT
Obtaining funding: DG
Literature search: AM, AL, DG, LS,
Administrative, technical or logistic support: AL, DG, AP
d. Statement about Conformity with Author Information: none
e. Other Acknowledgments: none