Abstract-Endothelial cell (EC) migration is a complex process requiring exquisitely coordinated focal adhesion assembly and disassembly. Protein kinase C (PKC) is known to regulate focal adhesion formation. Because lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC), a major lipid constituent of oxidized low-density lipoprotein, can activate PKC and inhibit EC migration, we explored the signaling cascade responsible for this inhibition. LysoPC increased PKC␦ activity, measured by in vitro kinase activity assay, and increased PKC␦ phosphorylation. Decreasing PKC␦ activation, using pharmacological inhibitors or antisense oligonucleotides, diminished the antimigratory effect of lysoPC. LysoPC-induced PKC␦ activation was followed by increased phosphorylation of the transmembrane proteoglycan, syndecan-4, and decreased binding of PKC␣ to syndecan-4, with a concomitant decrease in PKC␣ activity. A reciprocal relationship was noted between the interaction of PKC␣ and ␣-actinin with syndecan-4. These changes were temporally related to the observed changes in cell morphology and the inhibition of migration of ECs incubated with lysoPC. The data suggested that generalized activation of PKC␦ by lysoPC initiated a cascade of events, including phosphorylation of syndecan-4, displacement and decreased activity of PKC␣, binding of ␣-actinin to syndecan-4, and disruption of the time-and site-specific regulation of focal adhesion complex assembly and disassembly required for normal cell migration.