Activation of the purinergic P2X7 receptor by extracellular ATP induces the shedding of cell-surface molecules including the low-affinity IgE receptor, CD23 from leukocytes. CD23 is a known substrate of a disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM)10. The aim of the current study was to determine if P2X7 activation induced the shedding of the chemokine CXCL16, an ADAM10 substrate. Using immunolabelling and flow cytometry we demonstrate that human RPMI 8226 multiple myeloma B cells, which have been previously shown to express P2X7, also express CXCL16. Flow cytometric and ELISA measurements of ATP-induced loss of cell-surface CXCL16 showed that ATP treatment of RPMI 8226 cells induced the rapid shedding of CXCL16. Treatment of RPMI 8226 cells with the specific P2X7 antagonists, AZ10606120 and KN-62 impaired ATP-induced CXCL16 shedding by similar to 86% and similar to 90% respectively. RTPCR demonstrated that ADAM10 is expressed in these cells and treatment of cells with the ADAM10 inhibitor, GI254023X, impaired ATP-induced CXCL16 shedding by similar to 87%. GI254023X also impaired P2X7-induced CD23 shedding by similar to 57%. This data indicates that human P2X7 activation induces the rapid shedding of CXCL16 and that this process involves ADAM10. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.