The complement fragment Ba is a 33 kD activation product of factor B which suppresses human B-lymphocyte functions in vitro. We report that plasma levels of Ba are highly elevated in patients with chronic renal failure (4.84 +/- 3.58 micrograms/ml) and in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing regular hemodialysis (16.1 +/- 6.1 micrograms/ml) as compared to normals (1.01 +/- 0.30 micrograms/ml). Ba levels were strictly correlated with the creatinine clearance. The urinary excretion of Ba was 165-fold higher in patients with tubular proteinuria than in normals. These results indicate that the kidney is the major catabolic site for Ba. In addition, direct evidence was obtained for an enhanced turnover of the alternative pathway of complement in renal failure that, although it appears to be less important than the renal retention of Ba, contributes to elevated Ba plasma levels in these patients. Ba concentrations in dialysis patients who responded to hepatitis B vaccination were significantly lower than in non-responders. Furthermore, the in vitro IgM synthesis by purified mononuclear cells was negatively correlated with Ba concentrations determined in the plasma of these patients. These results suggest that the accumulation of Ba contributes to the defective immune response in patients with renal failure.