Thus, while galectin-3 can bind to HSV-1 to promote viral entry into epithelial cells, as described above (30), galectin-3 also contributes to reducing HSV-1 entry by organizing cell surface mucins to maintain mucosal barrier function in the eye (30, 44), providing another example of a galectin having both infection-promoting and infection-reducing effects for a particular microbial pathogen. Here, LGALS3 is linked to infection.