ITGAX and infection: To investigate macrophages and DC involvement in the S. pneumoniae clearance at early stages following infection we compared the bacterial load level of S. pneumoniae in Ncr1gfp/gfp, Ncr1+/gfp mice and in DTR:CD11c transgenic mice in which the lung mononuclear phagocytes including alveolar macrophages were ablated (Fig. 5).