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Jae-sook Ryu

Hanyang University · Immunology and Microbiology

About the Lab

Professor Jae-sook Ryu's research lab focuses on the host-pathogen interactions of *Trichomonas vaginalis*, a protozoan parasite responsible for common sexually transmitted infections. The lab investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying *T. vaginalis*-induced inflammation, particularly the activation of innate immune responses in epithelial and immune cells, including neutrophils and macrophages. Key research directions include inflammasome activation, cytokine production (such as IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8), and the role of host factors like iron metabolism in parasite virulence and disease progression. The lab also explores the parasite’s potential contribution to chronic inflammatory conditions and prostate diseases, including cancer.

Trichomonas vaginalisinflammasome activationprostate inflammationcytokine responseiron metabolism in parasitism

Research Overview

Papers
122
Total Citations
2,051
Papers (5y)
9
Primary Field
Immunology and Microbiology

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
9total
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Citations per year (5y)
45total
20212022202320242025

Selected Papers

15
1
Article|88 citations·2004
Production of Interleukin-8 by Human Neutrophils Stimulated with Trichomonas vaginalis
Jae‐Sook Ryu, Ji-Hyun Kang, Seungyong Jung, Myeong Heon Shin, Jung Mogg Kim, Hyun Park, Duk-Young Min
SJR Q1Infection and ImmunityOA

Neutrophils are the predominant inflammatory cells found in the vaginal discharges of patients infected with Trichomonas vaginalis. Although chemoattractants, such as leukotriene B(4) and interleukin-8 (IL-8), are found in the vaginal discharges of symptomatic trichomoniasis patients, little is known about the mechanism of how neutrophils accumulate or mediate initial inflammatory response after acute T. vaginalis infection. We examined IL-8 production in neutrophils activated by T. vaginalis an

MicrobiologyImmunology and Microbiology
2
Article|78 citations·2020
IL-6 produced by prostate epithelial cells stimulated with Trichomonas vaginalis promotes proliferation of prostate cancer cells by inducing M2 polarization of THP-1-derived macrophages
Ik‐Hwan Han, Hyun-Ouk Song, Jae‐Sook Ryu
SJR Q1PLoS neglected tropical diseasesOA

Trichomonas vaginalis (Tv), a protozoan parasite causing sexually-transmitted disease, has been detected in tissue of prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa). IL-6, a mediator of chronic inflammation, induces the progression of prostate cancer, and influences the polarization of M2 macrophages, which are the main tumor-associated macrophages. We investigated whether IL-6 produced by human prostate epithelial cells stimulated with Tv induces the M2 polarization o

ImmunologyImmunology and Microbiology
3
Article|51 citations·2007
Trichomonas vaginalis: Reactive oxygen species mediates caspase-3 dependent apoptosis of human neutrophils
Hyun-Ouk Song, Myeong Heon Shin, Myoung‐Hee Ahn, Duk-Young Min, Yong-Seok Kim, Jae‐Sook Ryu
SJR Q3Experimental ParasitologyOA
MicrobiologyImmunology and Microbiology
4
Article|44 citations·2001
Effect of Iron on the Virulence ofTrichomonas vaginalis
Jae‐Sook Ryu, Hyun-Ki Choi, Duk-Young Min, S. E. Ha, Myoung‐Hee Ahn
SJR Q3Journal of Parasitology

The role of iron was evaluated with respect to the virulence of Trichomonas vaginalis in mice. Iron-supplemented and iron-depleted Diamond's trypticase-yeast extract-maltose (TYM) media were prepared by adding 360 microM of ferrous sulfate and 100 microM of 2,2'-dipyridyl. Trophozoites cultivated from normal TYM and iron-supplemented TYM media produced subcutaneous abscesses; however, trichomonads grown in an iron-deficient TYM medium failed to produce any pathology. In addition to the increased

MicrobiologyImmunology and Microbiology
5
Article|40 citations·2016
Trichomonas vaginalis induces IL‐1β production in a human prostate epithelial cell line by activating the NLRP3 inflammasome via reactive oxygen species and potassium ion efflux
N. Y. Gu, Jung‐Hyun Kim, Ik‐Hwan Han, Su‐Jeong Im, Min‐Young Seo, Yong‐Hoon Chung, Jae‐Sook Ryu
SJR Q1The Prostate

BACKGROUND: Trichomonas vaginalis is a sexually transmitted protozoan parasite that causes vaginitis in women, and urethritis and prostatitis in men. IL-1β is synthesized as immature pro-IL-1β, which is cleaved by activated caspase-1. Caspase-1 is, in turn, activated by a multi-protein complex known as an inflammasome. In this study, we investigated the inflammatory response of a prostate epithelial cell line (RWPE-1) to T. vaginalis and, specifically, the capacity of T. vaginalis to activate th

MicrobiologyImmunology and Microbiology
6
Article|39 citations·2006
Trichomonas vaginalis promotes apoptosis of human neutrophils by activating caspase‐3 and reducing Mcl‐1 expression
Jian Kang, Hyun-Ouk Song, Jae‐Sook Ryu, Myeong Heon Shin, Jung Mogg Kim, Y. S. Cho, J F Alderete, Myoung‐Hee Ahn, Duk-Young Min
SJR Q2Parasite ImmunologyOA

Neutrophils are the predominant inflammatory cells found in the vaginal discharge of patients with Trichomonas vaginalis infection. However, it is not known whether neutrophil apoptosis is induced by live T. vaginalis. Therefore, we examined whether T. vaginalis can influence neutrophil apoptosis, and also whether caspase-3 and the Bcl-2 family members are involved in the apoptosis. Thus, human neutrophils were incubated with live T. vaginalis and neutrophil apoptosis was evaluated by Giemsa, an

MicrobiologyImmunology and Microbiology
7
Article|39 citations·2013
Inflammatory response of prostate epithelial cells to stimulation by Trichomonas vaginalis
Min‐Young Seo, Su‐Jeong Im, Na‐Young Gu, Jung‐Hyun Kim, Yong‐Hoon Chung, Myoung‐Hee Ahn, Jae‐Sook Ryu
SJR Q1The ProstateOA

BACKGROUND: Trichomonas vaginalis is known as the most common cause of sexually transmitted infection. However, its prevalence may have been underestimated. Trichomonads are detected in prostatic tissue in benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatitis, and prostate cancer. Our objective was to investigate whether T. vaginalis could induce an inflammatory response in prostate epithelium. METHODS: The cytokine production by human prostate epithelial cell (RWPE-1) activated with T. vaginalis was determ

MicrobiologyImmunology and Microbiology
8
Article|36 citations·2019
Inflammatory mediators of prostate epithelial cells stimulated with Trichomonas vaginalis promote proliferative and invasive properties of prostate cancer cells
Ik‐Hwan Han, Jung‐Hyun Kim, Ki‐Seok Jang, Jae‐Sook Ryu
SJR Q1The Prostate

Abstract Background Trichomonas vaginalis (Tv) is the most common sexually transmitted parasite. It is detected in prostatic tissue of benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatitis, and prostate cancer (PCa) and has been suggested to cause chronic prostatitis. Moreover, up to 20% of all cancers worldwide are associated with chronic inflammation. Here, we investigated whether inflammatory mediators produced by normal human prostate epithelial cells (RWPE‐1) stimulated with Tv could promote growth and

MicrobiologyImmunology and Microbiology
9
Review|35 citations·2006
Trichomonas vaginalis and trichomoniasis in the Republic of Korea
Jae‐Sook Ryu, Duk-Young Min
Korean Journal of ParasitologyOA

Vaginal trichomoniasis, caused by Trichomonas vaginalis, is the most common sexually transmitted disease. More than 170 million people worldwide are annually infected by this protozoan. In the Republic of Korea, 10.4% of women complaining of vaginal symptoms and signs were found to be infected with T. vaginalis. However, despite its high prevalence, the pathogenesis of T. vaginalis infection has not been clearly characterized although neutrophil infiltration is considered to be primarily respons

MicrobiologyImmunology and Microbiology
10
Article|35 citations·2016
Proliferation of Prostate Stromal Cell Induced by Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Epithelial Cell Stimulated WithTrichomonas vaginalisvia Crosstalk With Mast Cell
Jung‐Hyun Kim, Sang-Su Kim, Ik‐Hwan Han, Seobo Sim, Myoung‐Hee Ahn, Jae‐Sook Ryu
SJR Q1The Prostate

The inflammatory mediators released by BPH epithelial cells in response to infection by trichomonads induce the migration and activation of mast cells. The activated mast cells induce the proliferation of prostate stromal cells via CXCL8-CXCR1 and CCL2-CCR2 signaling. Our results therefore show that the inflammatory response by BPH epithelial cells stimulated with T. vaginalis induce the proliferation of prostate stromal cells via crosstalk with mast cells. Prostate 76:1431-1444, 2016. © 2016 Wi

UrologyMedicine
11
Article|34 citations·2011
Involvement of mast cells in inflammation induced by Trichomonas vaginalis via crosstalk with vaginal epithelial cells
Ik‐Hwan Han, S. J. PARK, Myoung‐Hee Ahn, Jae‐Sook Ryu
SJR Q2Parasite Immunology

Vaginal epithelial cells (VECs) are thought to function as immune-responsive cells in trichomoniasis, and mast cells have been detected in vaginal smears and the vaginal wall in trichomoniasis. It therefore seemed possible that the VEC-trichomonad reaction might affect the activity of mast cells present in the lamina propria of the vaginal mucosa. In this study, we tested whether culture supernatants of VEC incubated with Trichomonas vaginalis (TCM) could stimulate mast cells. When VECs (MS74) w

MicrobiologyImmunology and Microbiology
12
Article|26 citations·1998
A human case of tick bite by Ixodes nipponensis
Jae‐Sook Ryu, Jung‐hee Lee, Myoung‐Hee Ahn, Duk-Young Min, H I Ree
Korean Journal of ParasitologyOA

A human case of the tick bite on the back of 36-year-old man was found in September 1995. On admission he complained of itching sensation and pain at the site. The removed tick was identified morphologically as Ixodes nipponensis.

ParasitologyImmunology and Microbiology
13
Article|21 citations·1995
Cell cytotoxicity of sodium nitrite, sodium nitroprusside and Roussin's black salt againstTrichomonas vaginalis
Jae‐Sook Ryu, David Lloyd
SJR Q3FEMS Microbiology Letters

We have investigated the action of sodium nitrite and other nitrosyl complexes, such as sodium nitroprusside and Roussin's black salt, on the growth of metronidazole-sensitive and resistant strains of Trichomonas vaginalis and their hydrogenosomal enzymes. All three chemicals inhibited the growth of T. vaginalis: sodium nitrite at 8 mM, sodium nitroprusside at 1.2 mM and Roussin's black salt at 0.2 mM. Metronidazole-sensitive (KT9) and resistant (CDC85) isolates showed similar cytotoxicity again

MicrobiologyImmunology and Microbiology
14
Article|18 citations·2008
Trichomonas vaginalis‐induced neutrophil apoptosis causes anti‐inflammatory cytokine production by human monocyte‐derived macrophages
Myoung‐Hee Ahn, Hyun-Ouk Song, Jae‐Sook Ryu
SJR Q2Parasite Immunology

SUMMARY Neutrophils are the predominant inflammatory cells found in the vaginal discharge of patients with a Trichomonas vaginalis infection. Neutrophils have a shorter life span than other leucocytes. Our previous study indicated that live T. vaginalis alters Mcl‐1 expression and caspase‐3 activation, thereby inducing apoptosis of human neutrophils. However, it was previously unknown that the apoptotic neutrophils brought about by T. vaginalis can influence vaginal inflammation. Thus, human mon

ImmunologyImmunology and Microbiology
15
Article|17 citations·2018
Experimental rat prostatitis caused by Trichomonas vaginalis infection
Ki‐Seok Jang, Ik‐Hwan Han, Seung‐Ju Lee, Jin Yoo, Ye‐Seul Kim, Seobo Sim, Jae‐Sook Ryu
SJR Q1The Prostate

BACKGROUND: Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis) is the most common sexually transmitted parasite. It has been detected in prostatic tissue of patients with prostatitis and reported to be associated with chronic prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia as well as prostate cancer. Recently, experimental rodent models of prostatitis induced by pathogen infection have been developed. However, there have so far been no reports of prostatitis caused by T. vaginalis infection in animals. Here, we

MicrobiologyImmunology and Microbiology

Research Areas

MicrobiologyParasitologyImmunologyEcologyInfectious DiseasesBiotechnology

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