Consistent with this, gene expression microarrays analysis after silencing Gal-3 showed that Gal-3 regulates the expression of multiple genes, and has a negative influence on endothelial markers aberrantly expressed in highly aggressive melanoma cells such as VE-cadherin, IL-8, fibronectin-1, endothelial differentiation sphingolipid G-protein receptor-1 and MMP-2 [56]. The gene discussed is CXCL8; the disease is melanoma.