LGALS3 and heart failure: Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a beta-galactoside binding protein from the lectin family with pro-fibrotic and -inflammatory effects and a pivotal role in a variety of biological processes, cell proliferation, and differentiation; therefore, it is implicated in the pathogenesis of many cardiovascular (e.g., heart failure (HF)) and noncardiovascular diseases.