To evaluate the differential expression of MIF in HNSCC cells with regard to HPV status, we compared the MIF messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in three human HPV-negative (FaDu, UPCI-SCC-131 and Detroit 562) and three HPV-positive (UPCI-SCC090, UPCI-SCC154 and 93VU147T) cell lines. Here, MIF is linked to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.