STAT3 and cryptococcosis: The pro-inflammatory signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)-mediated IL-6 stimulation and anti-inflammatory response (e.g., chemokines C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 [CCL2]/extracellular signal regulated kinase 1⁄2 [ERK1/2] and IL-10) have been demonstrated in cryptococcal infections in vitro in combination with either cigarette smoke or Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (a trigger for allergic asthma) [117,128].