Effect of Coffee in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase Activation and Depressive-like Behavior in Mice

Research has identified a potential inverse correlation between coffee consumption and the risk of depression. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of caffeinated coffee on lipopolysaccharide-induced depressive-like behaviors and inflammatory biomarkers in an in vivo model of depression in a C57BL/6J mouse model. The behavioral studies showed that caffeinated coffee decreased immobility time in both the tail suspension test (caffeinated coffee 56.60 +/- 9.17; p < 0.0001) and the forced swimming test (caffeinated coffee 28.80 +/- 5.93; p < 0.0001), suggesting antidepressant-like activity. The effects of caffeinated coffee on the inflammatory biomarkers associated with depression supported the results observed in the behavioral studies. Statistically significant decreases in indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity (p < 0.001) and the neopterin/biopterin ratio (p < 0.001) were observed in animals pretreated with caffeinated coffee 24 h post-lipopolysaccharide exposure in comparison to the lipopolysaccharide control group. In conclusion, this study has provided evidence to suggest that caffeinated coffee has antidepressant-like activities; however, further studies are required to fully investigate these effects.