Immunotherapeutic　strategies　based　on　Epstein-Barr　virus　(EBV)　latent　membrane　protein　2　(LMP2)　antigen-specific　cytotoxic　T　lymphocytes　(CTLs)　have　been　proven　to　boost　LMP2-specific　CTL　responses　in　patients　with　nasopharyngeal　carcinoma　(NPC).　Such　strategies　can　produce　clinical　benefits　in　some　patients　with　NPC.　Currently,　the　major　challenge　limiting　the　use　of　immunotherapy　for　NPC　is　its　low　clinical　response　rate.　The　efficacy　of　immunotherapy　based　on　EBV-LMP2　specific　CTLs　depends　mainly　on　their　cytotoxic　activity,　but　no　studies　have　been　conducted　to　elucidate　this　activity.　In　this　study,　laser　confocal　scanning　microscopy　(LCSM)　and　real-time　cell　analysis　(RTCA)　were　used　to　evaluate　the　killing　function　and　its　underlying　mechanism　of　LMP2-specific　CTLs.　LCSM　showed　that　LMP2-specific　CTLs　recognize　and　kill　target　cells　expressing　viral　escape　protein　LMP2,　and　that　the　killing　rate　is　related　to　the　number　of　CTLs　adhering　to　the　target　cells.　LMP2-specific　CTL-mediated　cytotoxicity　is　rate　limited　by　the　time　required　for　effective　contact　and　recognition　between　CTLs　and　target　cells.　RTCA　showed　that　the　protective　effect　of　LMP2-specific　CTLs　required　an　appropriate　effector-to-target　ratio,　and　that　LMP2-specific　CTLs　could　not　eradicate　residual　target　cells　at　a　low　effector-to-target　ratio.　Moreover,　our　results　revealed　that　LMP2-specific　CTL　responses　involve　two　independent　but　complementary　mechanisms:　the　perforin/granzyme　and　Fas/FasL　pathways.　Therefore,　we　have　elucidated,　for　the　first　time,　the　selective　cytotoxicity　and　mechanism　by　which　LMP2-specific　CTLs　induced　by　the　rAd-LMP2　vaccine　kill　target　cells　and　have　explored　the　killing　mode　and　several　key　parameters　of　killing　mediated　by　LMP2-specific　CTLs.　Our　study　will　contribute　to　the　knowledge　of　vaccines　targeting　EBV-LMP2　and　to　the　improvement　of　immunotherapeutic　strategies.