The researchers say the discovery points toward a new approach to eradicating HIV from the body, the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reported. 

"For decades, we've seen conflicting reports on whether each of these components helped protect cells from viruses," said James Stivers, from the Johns Hopkins University. "By plotting how much of each are found in different types of cells, as well as the cells' response to HIV, we learned that both are needed to get the protective effect," Stivers said in a statement.