Cryptococcal virulence: beyond the usual suspects

InthisissueoftheJCI,�theobservationofthealteredpathogenicityofaCryp- tococcus neoformans glucosylceramide�(GlcCer)�mutantshinesnewlightonthe� initiationofcryptococcalinfection.�Rittershausandcolleaguesdemonstrate� thatthecellsurfaceglycosphingolipidGlcCerisessentialforthefungusto� growintheextracellularenvironmentsofthehostbloodstreamandalveolar� spacesofthelung,�which,�incontrasttotheacidicintracellularenvironment� ofmacrophages,�arecharacterizedbyaneutralpH�(seetherelatedarticle� beginningonpage�1651).�Theirfindingsestablishanunexpectedconnection� betweenthisglycosphingolipidandthefungalresponsestophysiological� CO2�andpH.�Theyalsofocusnewattentiononthetherapeuticpotentialof� anti-GlcCerantibodiesfoundinconvalescentsera.