Galectin-3 is a (3-gelactosidase-binding lectin with a diverse array of functions in a variety of tissues and in recent years has become an increasingly promising target for treating cardio-myopathies and heart failure (8). Sixteen galectins have been identified in mammals, and galectin-3 is the sole member of the chimera subfamily due to its unique antideath domain and proline- and glycine-rich tandem repeats. While baseline expression levels of galeclin-3 vary widely throughout the body, it is significantly induced almost universally by tissue damage. In the heart specifically, the protein is expressed at very low levels in the healthy myocardium but is rapidly upregulated in the early steps of tissue repair. In fact, galectin-3 is secreted in the circulation, and measurement of plasma galectin-3 for risk stratification is a class II recommendation in the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Heart Failure Society of America guidelines for the management of heart failure (10).
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