ROS-Mediated Cytotoxic Effect of Copper(II) Hydrazone Complexes against Human Glioma Cells

2-Acetylpyridine acetylhydrazone (H2AcMe), 2-benzoylpyridine acetylhydrazone (H2BzMe) and complexes [Cu(H2AcMe)Cl2] (1) and [Cu(H2BzMe)Cl2] (2) were assayed for their cytotoxicity against wild type p53 U87 and mutant p53 T98 glioma cells, and against MRC-5 fibroblast cells. Compounds 1 and 2 proved to be more active than the corresponding hydrazones against U87, but not against T98 cells. Compound 1 induced higher levels of ROS than H2AcMe in both glioma cell lines. H2AcMe and 1 induced lower levels of ROS in MRC5 than in U87 cells. Compound 2 induced lower levels of ROS in MRC5 than in T98 cells. The cytotoxic effect of 1 in U87 cells could be related to its ability to provoke the release of ROS, suggesting that the cytotoxicity of 1 might be somehow p53 dependent.