Otoniel Martinez-Maza

Dr. Martinez-Maza received his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from UCLA in 1981, going on to do postdoctoral work at the Karolinska Institute (Stockholm), Pasteur Institute (Paris), and at UCLA. He has been a faculty member at UCLA since 1988, most recently serving as professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology (vice chair for Basic Research) and Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, as well as in Epidemiology in the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.

Martinez-Maza also is a member of the UCLA AIDS Institute, where his laboratory is physically located, as well as the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is actively involved in several national and international multi-center studies, serving on the executive committees of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study and the AIDS Malignancies Consortium, and participating in Interlymph, an international consortium of researchers with an interest in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of lymphoma.

In addition to this, he is on the external steering committee for the AIDS Cancer Specimen Resource, is a member of the advisory council for the California HIV Research Program and of the Human Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee, California Department of Health Services.

Martinez-Maza's research is focused on better understanding the role of immune dysfunction in the genesis and growth of human cancer, including better defining the role of HIV infection-associated immune dysfunction in the development and growth of AIDS-associated cancers. Currently, work is directed at determining how immune system factors associated with B cell hyperactivation, including the up-regulation of the expression of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), and virus (EBV, HIV) infection, contribute to the molecular lesions that result in the genesis of B cell lymphoma.

Education

  • PhD, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
  • BS, University of California, Irvine, CA

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Areas of Interest

We are interested in better understanding the role of immune dysfunction in the genesis and growth of human cancer. Current work is focusing on better defining the role of HIV infection-associated immune dysfunction in the development and growth of AIDS-associated cancers. Currently, much of our work is directed at determining how immune system factors associated with B cell hyperactivation, including the up-regulation of the expression of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), and virus (EBV, HIV) infection, contribute to the molecular lesions that result in the genesis of B cell lymphoma.

Selected Publications

  • Epeldegui, M. Hung, Y. P. McQuay, A. Ambinder, R. F. Martinez-Maza, O. Infection of human B cells with Epstein-Barr virus results in the expression of somatic hypermutation-inducing molecules and in the accrual of oncogene mutations. Mol Immunol. 2007; 44(5): 934-42.
  • Thapa Dharma R, Bhatia Kishor, Bream Jay H, DʼSouza Gypsyamber, Rinaldo Charles R, Wolinsky Steven, Detels Roger, MartÃnez-Maza Otoniel B-cell activation inducedmicroRNA-21 is elevated in circulating B cells preceding the diagnosis of AIDS-related non-Hodgkin lymphomas. AIDS (London, England). 2012; 26(9): 1177-80.
  • Breen Elizabeth Crabb, Hussain Shehnaz K, Magpantay Larry, Jacobson Lisa P, Detels Roger, Rabkin Charles S, Kaslow Richard A, Variakojis Daina, Bream Jay H, Rinaldo Charles R, Ambinder Richard F, Martinez-Maza Otoniel B-Cell Stimulatory Cytokines and Markers of Immune Activation Are Elevated Several Years Prior to the Diagnosis of Systemic AIDS-Associated Non-Hodgkin B-Cell Lymphoma. Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology. 2011; 34(6)
  • Wagner-Johnston Nina D, Gellert Lan, Gocke Christopher D, Lemas Victor M, Lee Jeannette, MartÃnez-Maza Otoniel, Ambinder Richard F Clonal immunoglobulin DNA in the plasma of patients with AIDS lymphoma. Blood. 2011; 117(18): 4860-2.
  • Thapa Dharma R, Li Xinmin, Jamieson Beth D, MartÃnez-Maza Otoniel Overexpression of microRNAs from the miR-17-92 paralog clusters in AIDS-related non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. PloS one. 2011; 6(6): e20781.
  • Beachler Daniel C, Gellert Lan L, Jacobson Lisa P,Ambinder Richard F, Breen Elizabeth C, MartÃ-nez-Maza Otoniel, Rabkin Charles S, Rabkin Charles C, Kaslow Richard A, D'Souza Gypsyamber Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus serum DNA and antibodies not associated with subsequent non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk. Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999). 2011; 56(2): 188-92.
  • Vendrame Elena, MartÃnez-Maza Otoniel Assessment of pre-diagnosis biomarkers of immune activation and inflammation: insights on the etiology of lymphoma. Journal of proteome research. 2011; 10(1): 113-9.
  • Regidor Deborah L, Detels Roger, Breen Elizabeth C, Widney Daniel P, Jacobson Lisa P, Palella Frank, Rinaldo Charles R, Bream Jay H, MartÃnez-Maza Otoniel Effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy on biomarkers of B-lymphocyte activation and inflammation. AIDS (London, England). 2011; 25(3): 303-14.
  • Seaberg Eric C, Wiley Dorothy, MartÃnez-Maza Otoniel, Chmiel Joan S, Kingsley Lawrence, Tang Yiwei, Margolick Joseph B, Jacobson Lisa P, Jacobson Lisa P Cancer incidence in the multicenter AIDS Cohort Study before and during the HAART era: 1984 to 2007. Cancer. 2010; 116(23): 5507-16.
  • Epeldegui Marta, Vendrame Elena, MartÃnez-Maza Otoniel HIV-associated immune dysfunction and viral infection: role in the pathogenesis of AIDS-related lymphoma. Immunologic research. 2010; 48(1-3): 72-83.
  • Ambinder Richard F, Bhatia Kishor, Martinez-Maza Otoniel, Mitsuyasu Ronald Cancer biomarkers in HIV patients. Current opinion in HIV and AIDS. 2010; 5(6): 531-7.
  • Epeldegui Marta, Thapa Dharma R, De la Cruz Justin, Kitchen Scott, Zack Jerome A, MartÃnez-Maza Otoniel CD40 ligand (CD154) incorporated into HIV virions induces activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) expression in human B lymphocytes. PloS one. 2010; 5(7): e11448.
  • Wong Hui-Lee, Breen Elizabeth C, Pfeiffer Ruth M, Aissani Brahim, Martinson Jeremy J, Margolick Joseph B, Kaslow Richard A, Jacobson Lisa P, Ambinder Richard F, Chanock Stephen, MartÃnez-Maza Otoniel, Rabkin Charles S Cytokine signaling pathway polymorphisms and AIDS-related non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk in the multicenter AIDS cohort study. AIDS (London, England). 2010; 24(7): 1025-33.
  • Widney Daniel P, Gui Dorina, Popoviciu Laura M, Said Jonathan W, Breen Elizabeth C, Huang Xin, Kitchen Christina M R, Alcantar Juan M, Smith Jeffrey B, Detels Roger, MartÃnez-Maza Otoniel Expression and Function of the Chemokine, CXCL13, and Its Receptor, CXCR5, in Aids-Associated Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. AIDS research and treatment. 2010; 2010(7): 164586.
  • Aissani Brahim, Ogwaro Kisani M, Shrestha Sadeep, Tang Jianming, Breen Elizabeth C, Wong Hui-Lee, Jacobson Lisa P, Rabkin Charles S, Ambinder Richard F, Martinez-Maza Otoniel, Kaslow Richard A The major histocompatibility complex conserved extended haplotype 8.1 in AIDS-related non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999). 2009; 52(2): 170-9.