Indeed, the significance of these data currently rest with the fact that Gal-3 is now identified as a biomarker and/or factor associated with the inflammation seen in a wide range of diseases/conditions, including various cancers, cardiovascular disease, autoimmunity (lupus), wound healing, and more recently, allergic disease, including asthma and atopic dermatitis (18). This evidence concerns the gene LGALS3 and atopic eczema.