Syndecan-1 is a developmentally regulated cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG). It functions as a coreceptor for a variety of soluble and insoluble ligands and is implicated in several biological processes, including differentiation, cell migration, morphogenesis, and recently feeding behavior. The extracellular domain of syndecan-1 is proteolytically cleaved at a juxtamembrane site by tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease-3 (TIMP-3)-sensitive metalloproteinases in response to a variety of physiological stimulators and stress in a process known as shedding. Shedding converts syndecan-1 from a membrane-bound coreceptor into a soluble effector capable of binding the same ligands. We found that replacing the syndecan-1 juxtamembrane amino acid residues A243SQSL247 with human CD4 amino acid residues can completely block PMA-induced syndecan-1 ectodomain shedding. Furthermore, using Liquid Chromatography Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS), we identified the proteolytic cleavage site of syndecan-1 to amino acids A243 and S244, generated by constitutive and PMA-induced shedding from murine NMuMG cells. Finally, we show that basal cleavage of syndecan-1 utilizes the same in vivo site as the in vitro site. Indeed, as predicted, transgenic mice expressing the syndecan-1/CD4 cDNA do not shed the syndecan-1 ectodomain in vivo. These results suggest that the same cleavage site is utilized for basal syndecan-1 ectodomain shedding both in vitro from NMuMG and CHO cells as well as in vivo. Keywords syndecan; shedding; cleavage site Syndecan-1 is one of four members of the syndecan family of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (1,2) Most cells express at least one type of syndecan, and their expression pattern is highly regulated (1,3). Syndecans are abundant on the surface of all adherent mammalian cells. About 1% of membrane-anchored proteins undergo regulated proteolytic cleavage near the plasma membrane, resulting in release of their ectodomains in a process known as shedding (4,5). The syndecan ectodomain is shed constitutively by cultured cells, though the release can be accelerated by growth factor receptor activation, e.g. by thrombin and epidermal growth factor 6,7). In vivo, stress or skin injury/wounding can lead to increased levels of soluble syndecan-1 ectodomain in biological fluids (7,8). The process of ectodomain shedding not only reduces the number of surface receptors, an effective way to down-regulate signal transduction through these receptors, it also converts the membrane-bound cell surface receptors into soluble effectors that can effectively compete for the same ligand as dominant negative modulators as well as act as paracrine effectors at a remote location. The significance of this has been shown in vivo in syndecan-1-deficient and syndecan-1 overexpressing mice, which lack or contain excessive amounts of soluble ectodomains in their tissues, respectively. Syndecan-1 deficient mice are resistant to Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infections, due to the absence of soluble syn...