Antisense is being used to treat human cancer and HIV infection. Most frequently antisense targets production of a chemical metabolite producing ethylene. The antisense gene also influenced polyamines spermine and spermidine production through S-adenosylmethionine. The implication is that the plant antisense gene product should be tested in animals to ensure that critical functions including gene replication, sperm activity and gene imprinting are not disrupted. The perceived hazards of CaMV in crop plants include the consequences of recombination and pseudo recombination.
Recombination is the exchanges of parts of genes or blocks of genes between chromosomes.
Pseudorecombination is a situation in which gene components of one virus are exchanged with the protein coats of another. In conclusion CaMV promoters recombine with the infecting viruses to produce virulent new diseases. CaMV viruses and promoter may incorporate genes from the host creating virulent new diseases. J. Gen. Vir. Thus it is likely that as large numbers of humans consume CaMV modified tomatos recombination between CaMV and hepatitis B viruses will take place creating a supervirus propagated in plants, insects and humans.