LGALS8 and herpes simplex virus keratitis: In the present study, we demonstrated that: (i) a dominant negative inhibitor of galectin-8 as well as the pan inhibitor of galectins dampen lymphangiogenesis; (ii) in the mouse model of corneal allogeneic transplantation, galectin-8-induced lymphangiogenesis is associated with an increase in corneal graft rejection; and that (iii) in the mouse model of HSV keratitis, corneal pathology and lymphangiogenesis is ameliorated in galectin-8 knockout mice.