The human immune system is a very complex and delicate system which prevents the human body from being infected by pathogens, and has been well described in literature. However, plants lack the human immune-function cells to fight infection and despite scientist observing plants being able to signal an attack in order to trigger plant-wide resistance, such a mechanism has not been described until now. Researchers at Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research on Cornell has identified the elusive signal: methyl salicylate an aspirin compound which causes the plant’s immune system to shift into high gear.

Atopic dermatitis, a chronic inflammatory skin disorder, has been linked to a gene known as COL29A1 which altered the way collagen 29, a protein, is produced in skin, lungs and gastrointestinal tract. AD in children is often a sign that they will soon develop allergic illnesses of the airway such as asthma and hay fever. Young-Ae Lee of the Charite Hospital child allergy department led the research with scientists of the Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine.