AIM2 and infection: To further demonstrate the direct involvement of pDCs for early IFN-α and IFN-β production, we depleted pDCs in Aim2−/−, Nlrp3−/−, Casp1−/−, and Il1r1−/− mice by injection of anti-mPDCA-1 antibody at 12 h before and 12 h after infection.