An Indian-origin researcher at the University of Minnesota has discovered that triptolide -- an extract of the Chinese herb thunder god vine (tirpterygium wilforii) -- suppresses a key protein that helps pancreatic cancer cells thrive. GRP78 a protein that protects cells from dying is more abundant in cancer cells and tissue than in normal organs and is thought to play a role in helping pancreatic cancer cells survive and thrive. 'Our study shows that although increased expression of GRP78 confers a survival advantage to the tumour cells prolonged exposure to triptolide induces chronic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress that eventually leads
