Cason M, Celeghin R, Marinas MB, et al. - Researchers sought to determine molecular pathways underlying early arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC) via gene expression profiling in both humans as well as animal models. They found 29 differentially expressed genes at early disease stages, of those, Lgals3/GAL3 (lectin, galactoside-binding, soluble, 3) demonstrated decreased cardiac expression in transgenic mice as well as in 3 AC patients who encountered sudden cardiac death without overt structural remodeling. In 5 human AC probands, they discovered four rare missense variants of LGALS3. Overall, findings revealed a crucial role of GAL3 (galectin-3) in early AC onset, via regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling as well as intercellular adhesion.