LGALS3 and infection: As a widely-acting factor whose basal level is increased by repeated fasting over a period of months to years, a long-term elevation in galectin-3 may provide an adaptation that allows someone who chronically engages in fasting to potentially respond more quickly or effectively to conditions such as infection (e.g., by SARS-CoV-2) or chronic diseases that require modulation of inflammation to maintain homeostasis.