LGALS3 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Exogenous galectin-3 can enhance efferocytosis of apoptotic cells by monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) [11] as well as by AMs in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [10] which highlights the potential of galectin-3 in the regulation of macrophage function in NEA.