AIM:　To　identify　the　association　of　the　macrophage　migration　inhibitory　factor　(MIF)　gene　polymorphism　with　the　susceptibility　of　benign　lymphoepithelial　lesions　(BLEL)　of　the　lacrimal　gland.　METHODS:　A　total　of　40　BLEL　of　lacrimal　gland　cases　were　matched　with　40　healthy　subjects　(HS).　Extraction　the　plasma　and　whole　blood　DNA　of　patients　of　lacrimal　gland　BLEL　and　HS.　Elisa　and　polymerase　chain　reaction　was　used　to　determine　in　plasma　contents　of　MIF　and　MIF　gene　SNP-173G＞C　and　STR　-794　CATT((5-8))　polymorphism,　respectively.　RESULTS:　The　MIF　levels　in　plasma　were　significantly　higher　in　patients　with　lacrimal　gland　BLEL　versus　HS　(P＜0.001).　The　-173　G＞C　MIF　polymorphism　was　significantly　associated　with　lacrimal　gland　BLEL,　with　a　significantly　higher　frequency　of　the　C　allele　in　lacrimal　gland　BLEL　patients　compared　with　HS　(OR=2.38,　95%　CI=1.07-5.31,　P=0.032),　and　the　-173　C/x　is　more　frequent　in　patients　than　in　HS,　P=0.037.　Besides,　we　found　that　the　carriage　rate　of　the　MIF　-173C/x　is　associated　with　higher　plasma　levels　of　MIF　in　the　BLEL　of　lacrimal　gland.　CONCLUSION:　MIF　-173G/C　variants　play　an　insidious　role　in　susceptibility　of　BLEL　of　lacrimal　gland.　Otherwise,　there　is　no　statistically　significant　correlation　exists　between　MIF-794　CATT((5-8))　and　BLEL　of　lacrimal　gland.