Day 269 - 25 Jun 96 - Page 72
1 Q. Only because you told us it was an idea that came to you
2 fairly recently and you have discussed it and given a
3 lecture along those lines?
4 A. Indeed, only a few months ago and, indeed, I can
5 recollect that some important discovery was made by
6 somebody going into a bathtub. Something to do with
7 gravity, I think.
8
9 MR. JUSTICE BELL: It is finished already, as I recall.
10
11 MR. RAMPTON: He met with a sticky end.
12
13 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I have always taken it with a pinch of salt,
14 but it was a good story.
15
16 MR. RAMPTON: Can I be serious now? Once a tumour has been
17 initiated and promoted?
18 A. Yes.
19
20 Q. In order for it to metastasise cancer cells have to break
21 off from the tumour?
22 A. Correct.
23
24 Q. They can spread through the body either in the bloodstream
25 or through the lymphatic system. Is that correct?
26 A. That is correct.
27
28 Q. Migrating tumour cells have adhesion molecules?
29 A. Yes, indeed.
30
31 Q. Which are called integrins; am I right?
32 A. Yes.
33
34 Q. And those integrins seem to assist in the process of
35 implanting the tumour cell in endothelium?
36 A. Yes.
37
38 Q. Do you have any evidence that the presence of the integrins
39 or their ability to attach themselves to the endothelium
40 has any relationship with a high fat diet, or more
41 particularly, high serial cholesterol?
42 A. No, I do not have any evidence and I do not know if any
43 evidence exists. The only evidence I have that might
44 support that case is this study which was done in animals,
45 which I have the paper for here if you wish to keep it. I
46 mean, you have similar kinds of phenomenon in platelets,
47 adhesives, receptors, and so on. We know this in this case
48 they are stimulated by thrombogenic factors.
49
50 Q. But a platelet is a very specialised cell?
51 A. Indeed.
52
53 Q. It is a thrombocyte?
54 A. It's a specialised cell, yes.
55
56 Q. It is a clotting agent?
57 A. It is not just a clotting agent. It is also a repair
58 agent because it will adhere to the damaged endothelium and
59 allow the repair process to go on underneath it, and that
60 is a question of adhesion without actually clotting the
