Whereas bypassing of proximal TCR signaling with PMA/Ionomycin was able to rescue hyporesponsiveness to α-GalCer after heat-killed E. coli injection, iNKT cells from SA infected mice were unable to produce naïve levels of IFN-γ after PMA/Ionomycin stimulation, suggesting an intrinsic defect in these cells to produce cytokines after SA infection (Supplementary Figures 7C, D) and (42). This evidence concerns the gene IFNG and infection.