Comorbid mice do not exhibit exacerbated EAE. (A–C) Mice were immunized for EAE and then inoculated with influenza during the EAE priming phase as described in Fig. 1. (B) Mice were immunized for EAE, injected with 2 × 10⁷ lymphocytes from 2D2 mice 2 d after EAE, and then inoculated with influenza. (A) Mice were monitored for EAE severity. The graph shown is a combination of two independent experiments. EAE, n = 7; EAE + Flu, n = 20. The Mann-Whitney test was used to evaluate significance. (B and C) During acute influenza infection (d13), single-cell suspensions were prepared for flow cytometry from lungs and analyzed. Shown are representative flow cytometric plots of 2D2 (Vβ11⁺Vα3.2⁺) CD4⁺ T cells (B) and IL-17A–producing CD4⁺ T cells (Th17 cells; C) from singly EAE and comorbid mouse lungs. Bar graphs of compiled cell percentages are shown. Numbers of two independent experiments with at least four mice per group are shown. Student’s t tests were conducted for statistical analysis. The mean and standard error of means are represented.