Whereas IL-8 signals through corresponding chemokine receptors CXCR1 and CXCR2 in HNSCC cells, exposure of three types of HNSCC cells (SCC4, SCC9 and SCC25 cells) to IL-8 (10 and 100 ng/ml) for 72 h, the expressions of CXCR1 and CXCR2 were determined by RT-PCR and western blotting. The gene discussed is CXCL8; the disease is head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.