ITGAX and Alzheimer disease: Additionally, we were able to demonstrate ~3-fold increased phagocytosis of Aβ by CD11c-DNR versus wild-type macrophages ex vivo and similar effects in vitro with pharmacologic inhibitors of TGF-β-Smad2/3 signaling, suggesting that inhibition of TGF-β-Smad 2/3 signaling allows for both peripheral mononuclear phagocyte recruitment to brains of AD model mice and for phagocytic amyloid removal.